Banshee Song: Book Two
by lowdergirl
Summary: REVISED! (Broe) 2nd Part. The story of Brady and Chloe's past lives in Ireland.
1. Default Chapter

Banshee Song Book Two  
Author's Note: Important! This book takes place entirely in the past and has nothing to do with the present. In other words, this is not a dream or flashback or vision that someone is having. The setting is Ireland mid 1920's.  
  
Handy Dandy Reference Guide  
  
Rhianna Cassidy = Chloe Lane Sheamus Patrick Brady = Brady Black Sean Devlin Cassidy = Shawn D Brady Elizabeth Morgan Brady = Belle Black Miriam Lockeheart = Mimi, duh  
  
All other characters, except Dimera, are original.  
Prologue  
  
Once upon a time there were two happy families. The Cassidy family was one of the last of the old noble families in Ireland. Lord Michael and his wife Clionna were loved by all the inhabitants of nearby Dublin. They were kind and generous; looking after the poor and needy, throwing grand balls for the townspeople at Cassidy Keep and Cassidy Industries provided stable employment for many local workers.  
  
One of these workers was Patrick Brady, a decent, hardworking member of Dublin's middle class. He was there the day Cassidy's' first opened its doors and remained there years after, working long, hard hours to provide for his family. His wife Morganna also worked for the Cassidys, as the housekeeper at Cassidy Keep. She managed the household, which included a fair number of servants: cooks, maids, and gardeners. Morganna was Lady Clionna's right hand and dear friend. Times were happy and blissful for all. And then tragedy struck.  
  
Lady Clionna was suddenly struck by a severe illness. She passed away, leaving behind her grieving husband and four year old twin children, Rhianna and Sean Devlin. Sadness fell upon the Cassidy household. The balls and parties stopped and many servants were let go until only three remained. Morganna took over the role of mother to the small children, acting as their nanny and later, governess. Lord Michael fell into a pit of despair and eased his pain with alcohol and gambling. His business suffered, but still made a profit due to loyal employees who quietly took over the management of the factory in his name.  
  
Patrick Brady was one of these few who ensured the smooth operation of the business by supervising the employees, ordering supplies, and overseeing the shipments. Five years after Lady Clionna passed, Patrick was performing a maintenance check on one of the factory machines when a malfunction caused the steel monster to suddenly spring to life. Patrick was pulled into its grinding gears and pressing weights and was dead before anyone could free him.  
  
Morganna was left behind with her own two children Sheamus Patrick and his younger sister, Elizabeth Morgan. Lord Cassidy provided Morganna with a generous pension which, combined with her wages, provided a modest, yet content, life for her family. Sheamus also went to work at the factory, hoping to supplement the family's income with his meager earnings. At twelve he was already thinking of his future. He had large dreams and high ambitions and couldn't wait to start working toward them. But seven years and a few token promotions later, his mother had fallen ill and could no longer work. Sheamus found himself wondering about his family's future. He was not the only one.  
  
Cassidy Industries was no longer making a profit and in recent years had begun to lose money. The earlier profits had been eaten up by ale and dog races, so Lord Cassidy took money from the estate and put it into his business to keep it running. To save money, he put off maintenance and repairs of the unused portions of the castle and confined the living quarters to one small wing. But it wasn't enough. He needed large amounts of money to feed his addictions and years of mourning and alcohol had made him weak in heart and mind. So one day the devil knocked on his door and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
They stood side-by-side, hands tightly clasped, in front of the fresh grave. The warm May sun beat down on them, but they were still cold. Cold and numb. Muffled sobs punctuated the morning silence, but they did not hear, did not notice the grieving mourners who surrounded them, trying their best to comfort the two young people.  
  
Sean Cassidy squeezed his sister's hand, wanting to comfort her, reassure her, let her know that they were in this together. Somehow, they would get through. Rhianna smiled back at her brother, the fear and uncertainty she felt diminished greatly by his presence. Yes, somehow they would get through this.  
  
The twins stood stoically in the receiving line, grateful smiles plastered on their pale faces. They shook countless hands, endured suffocating hugs, and listened to many words of condolence.  
  
"Och, ye poor dears!" cried a distant relative. " 'Twas bad enough your sainted mother had to leave this earth when ye were just wee babes. Sniff Now your father's gone too!" She continued melodramatically while blowing into an embroidered handkerchief.  
  
Sean and Rhianna continued to stand, smiling graciously as the old woman prattled on dramatically. She made a big show of cupping their faces as she spoke most sincerely, "If ye ever need anything, my dears, do not hesitate t' ask!" She finished with a grand flourish, and walked on.  
  
As the parade of people passed them offering their condolences, Rhianna grew aware of a strange sensation, like the feeling of someone's eyes burning into her. The feeling grew until she could no longer ignore it. She glanced up and to her left and immediately locked onto the bluest eyes she had ever seen.  
  
Those same eyes gazed back at her with an intensity that stole the breath out of her lungs. She stood there, momentarily paralyzed, while she studied those eyes. Strong emotions whirled in the blue depths; anger, pride. And a softer emotion just beneath the surface that she couldn't name.  
  
She forcefully tore her gaze away from those frightening eyes and briefly glanced over the man who owned them. He stood tall in a proud, defiant stance. He was tanned and muscular from rough, physical labor, yet his face was handsome, beautiful. He had wild, wavy blond hair with glints of red fire. He was tall and lean, with broad powerful shoulders and narrow hips.  
  
She finished her study of his fine physique and again met his eyes. He smirked condescendingly and Rhianna blushed to realize that her intense study of the strange man had not gone unnoticed. He cocked a blond eyebrow as if to ask, "Do ye like what ye see?"  
  
Her blush deepened to a deep burgundy as she felt his eyes begin their own tour of her body. She could actually feel where his eyes touched on her softly rounded curves, even though they were hidden by her heavy black dress of mourning. She turned furious eyes to the scoundrel who dared to take such liberties with her, only to find him laughing mockingly at her discomfiture.  
  
Sean soon became aware of his sister's distress and glanced at the source of her anger. He placed a soothing arm around her shoulders and whispered quietly in her ear. "Don't mind him, Ree, that's just Sheamus Brady, a rogue if there ever was one. Don't let him rile ye."  
  
Rhianna put the haunting blue eyes out of her mind and turned to her brother. "Sheamus Brady?"  
  
Sean nodded. "Ye remember, Mrs. Brady's son."  
  
"Ye mean, our housekeeper?" Rhianna tried in vain to picture the kindly Mrs. Brady raising such a nasty man.  
  
She didn't have long to ponder the mystery of Sheamus Brady, when she felt another set of eyes burning into her. She instinctively knew who was gazing at her with such wanton lust in his eyes, and suppressed a shudder. Cold ice ran in her veins and her stomach twisted with nausea at his approach. She looked over to her side to find that Sean had left to converse with other guests. It looked like she would have to deal with him alone.  
  
She straightened her shoulders and plastered a smile on her face. "Mr. Dimera." She greeted him as cheerfully as she could stomach. She swallowed the sudden revulsion when he kissed her cheek, the vile touch resembling the kiss of a snake.  
  
"Ah, my dear Rhianna, call me Alexander. It is only right that you call me by my Christian name, after all, we are to be married."  
  
Rhianna smiled uncertainly. "Of course, Alexander."  
  
The graying gentleman took her hands in his. His coal black eyes glittered as they bore into hers. "My deepest condolences on your dear father's death. He was a great man, a respected rival, and a dear friend to me. He gave me the greatest gift in the world when he gave me your hand in marriage."  
  
Alexander Dimera paused briefly, his eyes flitting over her figure. He could not disguise the lust and desire that flashed in his eyes. He quickly composed himself and continued playing the part of the concerned friend.  
  
"Now that your father is.gone, have you given any thought to what you will do? Besides the running of the castle and its grounds, there is also the managing of the factory. It was hard enough for your father to manage; now with his death, you and your brother are quite alone, and at such a tender age, too."  
  
Rhianna bit her lip in anxiety. She had done nothing but worry for the last three days. What would they do?  
  
Dimera laid a cold hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. "My dear, let me remove this burden from your frail shoulders. Allow me to take over the factory. You know it was your father's intent that our two companies would merge into one. Marry me, and I will take care of you and your brother. My fortune will provide the much needed repairs for the castle and the surrounding lands, will allow your family's business to grow and expand, to once again become the success that it was, and more."  
  
Rhianna's mind spun from worry and uncertainty while he continued his plea.  
  
"I know, Rhianna, that I am many years older than you. You are barely sixteen, and I, well, much older. But I promise you, that no one will love you as I do. I will cherish you, adore you, and take precious care of you. If you will but allow me."  
  
Rhianna stood as tears formed in her eyes. The idea of marrying this old man terrified and sickened her. Yet, what choice did she have? Her father had already promised her to him; the bans had already been read. Besides, she had responsibilities now, an aging castle that was quickly falling into ruin, and a factory that was the life's blood of the people of Dublin. She had servants, and the poor to look after, as was the duty of the noble class that she had been born into. Rhianna tried to stall him, to buy herself time to consider her options.  
  
Fortunately, Sean came to the rescue. He came up to her side and took her hand in his. He then turned cold eyes onto Dimera. "Mr. Dimera, we appreciate your kindness, but we must refuse your gracious offer. 'Tis still too soon for Rhianna; we are still in mourning."  
  
Dimera gifted the brash young man with a frosty smile. "Your father and I have an arrangement. Legally binding. Your sister and I will be married. The Church has so agreed."  
  
"I accept that. But the arrangement takes effect on the day of her seventeenth birthday, and not a day sooner."  
  
Alexander continued his cold smile. "Yes, I know. I just thought that recent events might have changed that."  
  
Sean smiled again and gripped his sister's hand even tighter. "Nothing has changed, Mr. Dimera. When she's seventeen."  
  
"And what are you going to do in the meantime. Surely you don't mean to manage the castle and your father's ailing business?" he suggested with a haughty laugh.  
  
"We mean to, and we will. Now good day, Mr. Dimera." Sean dismissed him.  
  
Rhianna let out a relieved breath and glanced up to find Sheamus Brady eyeing her speculatively. Their eyes held for a moment, when the young man suddenly turned and walked away.  
  
"That family is cursed."  
  
Sheamus Brady turned to his side where an elderly man was tidying the area around an old headstone. "I'm sorry?" he asked with mild curiosity.  
  
The man straightened up and nodded in the direction of Rhianna and Sean. "Cursed. They're all cursed." He repeated. He sidled up to Sheamus and dropped his voice to a raspy whisper. "Tis cause of the banshee blood that runs through their veins."  
  
Sheamus turned disbelieving eyes on the old man. "Banshee blood."  
  
"Aye, That's what the legends say."  
  
Sheamus turned his gaze back to where Rhianna stood in front of her father's grave. He gazed at her, struck by her wild beauty. {Rhianna Cassidy. No.} he corrected, {Lady Rhianna Cassidy.} He could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen her or her brother in his entire life even though his mother was their devoted housekeeper/cook/nanny/whatever else they needed done. He'd never thought much of them; they were just the spoiled kids of his parents' employer. And Rhianna was just a scrawny little girl with flaming red hair and wild green eyes who looked like she'd rather be climbing trees than studying etiquette. Hardly someone to inflame his passions. Until this afternoon.  
  
He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw her standing forlornly in front of the fresh grave. It hadn't been that many years since their last meeting, yet a great deal had certainly changed. The scrawny kid was now a blossoming girl on the verge of womanhood. She had grown into her long, leggy body and softly rounded curves were visible under her heavy black dress of mourning. The wild red hair had calmed a bit and fell in becoming waves down her back. Stray ringlets framed her heart-shaped face and became airborne in the occasional gust of wind. Her skin was milky-creamy and a smattering of light freckles danced across her cheeks. Her greatest feature though were her amazing green eyes that stood out sharply against the pale backdrop of her face.  
  
But even more that just her physical beauty, which was considerable, there was something else about the girl that attracted him, called to him. Something that made him unable to tear his gaze away from the beautiful creature before him.  
  
He could see it in her stiff posture, in her eyes when they locked gazes. There was just something about her deep green eyes.  
  
He shook himself out of his thoughts. "So, how are they 'cursed'?" he asked distractedly. He watched with interest Rhianna's conversation with Mr. Alexander Dimera.  
  
"Look around, laddie." The old man replied gesturing to the headstones arranged neatly around them. "A long line of Cassidys rests in this place and I guarantee ye not one of 'em lived t' see fifty - most didn't see forty. Ye wonder why the twins - orphans now - are left on their own? 'Cause there's no kin left t' care for them. Mark me words, laddie. Don't be getting yourself mixed up with them." The man cried wildly.  
  
Sheamus looked at Rhianna who was just ending her conversation with Mr. Dimera. Their eyes locked for a moment and Sheamus felt a strange attraction to the girl. Which he quickly buried.  
  
"Don't worry about that." He replied calmly and turned and walked away.  
  
She stood later brushing her red-gold hair in front of the large mirror on her wall. Her long, thick cotton nightgown doing little to dispel the chill she felt. It was partly due to the drafts that blew through the cracks in the old stone walls. But mostly due to Dimera, and her impending marriage to him.  
  
{I still have some time. Almost a year.} she thought. She wondered again at the cruelty of fate that would condemn her to a life of marriage to a man over twice her age. Just his mere presence made her feel dirty, slimy all over. When her father first told her of his decision, she had cried and cried, but her tears were wasted on him.  
  
"The Cassidy family is one of the oldest of the noble families in Ireland." He had told her, repeating an oft-heard lecture. "We have titles. When ye are grown, ye will be Lady Rhianna Cassidy. And your brother will be Lord Sean Cassidy."  
  
"But being of nobility means responsibilities. In the old days, when this castle was new, the Lord Cassidy was responsible for the castle and all who lived within its stone walls. And that included the village which is now the town of Dublin."  
  
He had paused then. Rhianna recalled her father's red, watery eyes and the familiar odor of Brandy on his breath. He had then continued sadly.  
  
"But nobility isn't what it used to be. Our family fortune has been dwindling for some years. Now all that remains are the castle itself and the land, which represents a fraction of the old estate. But we are still responsible for our handful of servants. And while we no longer directly care for the people of Dublin, our factory is the primary business in town. If it falls, the town will fall."  
  
Her father had gone on to tell her that her place was to marry well, to infuse the family with new wealth, and that he had done her the favor of choosing that man for her. He expected her respectful obedience in his wishes. And she had agreed. What choice did she have? Arranged marriages had been the procedure for women of high birth since the dawn of time. This was her duty, it was her birthright.  
  
{Sean, of course, could marry whomever he wanted.} Rhianna thought with a wry smile. She wished, as she had done many times since her birth, that she had been born a man. Or at least in a lower class. She sighed and placed her brush on her dresser.  
  
She didn't jump when she felt arms wrap around her waist. Sean laid his cheek against her shoulder. As always, ever since they were babes, he had sensed her emotions. He could feel her pain and fear. And sadness.  
  
"It'll be okay, Ree." He said with an optimism he didn't feel. "We'll make it. Somehow." He comforted her as she cried in his arms, his own tears falling from his brown eyes. Tears for their mum, tears for their da, tears for two orphaned twins left alone in a hard world.  
  
They crawled into bed together for the first time since childhood, and held each other as they cried themselves to sleep. 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
"Och, that was a sad service." Elizabeth Brady commented somberly. She slowly took off her heavy wool coat and carefully hung it on the old, knobby oak coat rack. She pulled her long, curly blond hair back and gently secured it with a blue silk ribbon, (one of her few luxury items.) She then rolled up the sleeves of her simple cotton dress and tackled the dirty dishes in the washbasin.  
  
"Aye, well, most funerals are." Sheamus Brady replied dryly. He took off his dark gray suit jacket and shrugged out of his suspenders. "That's why it's a funeral and not, say, St. Patty's Day celebration."  
  
Elizabeth rolled her large blue eyes at her brother's sarcasm and continued washing the iron pots from that morning's breakfast. "I feel really bad for them." She remarked with a sigh.  
  
Sheamus grabbed a worn cotton dishrag and began to dry the clean dishes. "Who?"  
  
"Sean and Rhianna."  
  
He snorted contemptuously. "Why?"  
  
Elizabeth stared at her brother open mouthed. "Och, I don't know." She shot back sarcastically. "Perhaps because their da just died?"  
  
"Aye well, don't feel too badly. What with their servants and family fortune and that great big castle of theirs, I've a feelin' they're gonna be just fine."  
  
"Money doesn't buy happiness." She lectured.  
  
"Aye, but I'd still like t' give it a try." He grinned widely causing his sister to chuckle softly.  
  
Elizabeth paused and bit her lip anxiously. She wondered how he would take the news she had to give him. "Sheamus? I need t' tell ye something." she began. He just looked at her and waited for her to continue.  
  
"I've decided to take over for Mum, at the Cassidys', just until she gets t' feelin better." She added hastily.  
  
He frowned darkly. "What about your schoolin?" Their mother had saved for many years so that Elizabeth could take classes at a local school for young ladies. The school was designed to teach young girls everything they would need to manage a house, thereby increasing their chances for a good marriage match. Sheamus didn't like the idea of Elizabeth quitting school - it was her best means for a good life.  
  
"Well, I'll have to quit. For now. But I can start up again once Mum's better. Besides, those classes cost a great deal of money. Money that's better spent on doctors and medicines."  
  
Sheamus sighed. She was right, of course. Well, hopefully it wouldn't be too long. He couldn't stomach the idea of all of his family working for the Cassidys. And as for Elizabeth, he wanted a better life for her than servitude. He again felt the familiar suffocating weight of his responsibilities. He needed air. Now. "Well, if we're done here, I'm going out for a bit."  
  
Elizabeth sadly watched him leave; his shoulders slumped as if they held the weight of the world.  
  
Sheamus sat in the worn wooden booth at the old neighborhood pub and stared into his mug of ale. {So Lord Cassidy is dead.} he thought unemotionally. {Hmm, awfully sudden} he mused wryly. {Maybe he drank himself t' death.} he chuckled coldly, remembering his former employer. The late president of Cassidy Industries had spent most of every day locked in his office getting drunk and sleeping it off. It was no secret in the factory that he had long ago ceased to run the business. The real leadership came from the foreman and a few others, old timers who had worked there since the beginning.  
  
Sheamus swallowed a deep draught of ale. He had always wondered why the workers worked so hard to keep the business running. It was more than just their jobs - it was like they were protecting Lord Cassidy. He thought it was foolish - they were the ones who did the work, yet Cassidy got the profits. He just couldn't understand their blind, loyal devotion to the weak old drunk. His mother had once explained that Lord Cassidy hadn't always been that way, that once he had been a great man and that he was still a very good man. But Sheamus had yet to see proof of that. In his mind Cassidy was simply a lazy old drunk who got rich off of others' hard labor.  
  
{Maybe now things will change.} he thought with a hopeful smile. {Cassidy's heirs are mere children) he shook away the sudden image of a very unchildlike Rhianna. {Orphans, to boot} he buried the sudden twinge of pity he felt for the twins. {They know nothing of the factory. They'll probably turn it over to the employees to manage. Or better yet, sell it to a new owner. Someone who actually knows what he's doing. Someone who will recognize talent when he sees it.}  
  
He smiled as he took another swig of the dark red brew. This could be the chance he had been waiting for. Despite his hard work and keen business sense, after seven years he was still doing the menial tasks that an idiot could do. Sure, he'd been promoted a few times, but each promotion was really a pacifier to keep him from walking out the factory doors.  
  
His face settled into a hard grimace as he once again thought about his life. It wasn't fair, he was smart and hard working, and knew the business inside and out. He yearned to run the entire factory. He had inherited his father's love for that business, and it killed him to see the downward spiral it was in. He knew he could make it succeed if given the chance. His face broke into a cold smile. Maybe if he played his cards right, he would get that chance. 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
"How did it go, sir?"  
  
Alexander Dimera shrugged out of his fine Italian suit coat and handed it to the waiting servant. "Not very well." He scowled in reply and walked over to the crystal brandy decanter. He poured a small amount into a glass and downed the fiery liquid quickly.  
  
The obsequious toady fluttered nervously behind his employer. The boss's plan failed? This wasn't good, for either one of them.  
  
"How, how do you mean, sir?"  
  
A tight angry smile flitted across Alexander's face. "She refused me. Turned down my gracious offer. Get this, the young brats think that they can manage both the factory and the castle, all by themselves!" he exclaimed with a light laugh.  
  
"Well, they are adolescents, sir. Young people their age think that they can do anything. Give them time, sir. In a month they will be begging for your help."  
  
Alexander considered his servant's words and his anger subsided. "Yes, you're right, Igor. Just a little more time." His lips curved in a small smile. "It's not like I don't have time to spare!" he remarked with a chuckle. Igor joined in on the joke, glad to see his employer's mood lift.  
  
Time. Alexander gazed thoughtfully at the large ornate ring that adorned his left pinky finger. Sunlight from the large windows glinted on the ring and ignited the fire within the unusual stone. The stone flashed brightly revealing an image of a majestic bird wreathed in flames.  
  
The legendary Phoenix. A mystical creature that is consumed by fire only to be reborn from its own ashes. Alexander smiled and thought back to the day he first heard the legend of the Phoenix.  
  
It was his 18th birthday and his dear old grandfather had pulled him away for a serious private conversation.  
  
"Antonio, my boy," he began, his voice withered and cracked from age, "I'm going to tell you a story. A story about life, death and rebirth."  
  
Antonio rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. He was tired of stories. He was eighteen, anxious to get out in the world, to make his mark. But he listened dutifully to his grandfather and soon found himself engrossed in the tale of the Phoenix.  
  
His grandfather finished the story and turned to his grandson. "I wager you're wondering what this story has to do with you, right? Well, my boy, it has to do with your birthright." He said and pulled out an antique metal box.  
  
"My birthright?" Antonio repeated, confused.  
  
"Yes. Now I'm not talking about mere gold, or jewelry, or event the priceless paintings you see hanging on these walls. No, our family's real treasure lies inside this box. It has been passed down from generation to generation waiting for the right person to claim it. That person is you."  
  
He shakily removed the lid of the box and inside; lying on a bed of soft velvet was a beautiful ring, unlike anything that Antonio had ever seen before. He picked it up in awe and held it to the light.  
  
"That stone is called phoenix, after the bird of myth. Legend has it that this stone was birthed in the flames of the Phoenix's death-pyre. And if you hold it to the light just so," he tilted the ring slightly, "you can see an image of the Phoenix itself."  
  
Antonio gasped to see the ring flash. He was amazed by the beauty of the stone. He paused and looked with skeptical eyes at the aged man before him. "But what does this have to do with me?"  
  
The old man just smiled. "You, my son, are a rarity these days. In fact, you are the first in our family for many hundreds of years. You see, you are the seventh son of a seventh son. And such a person will never die."  
  
A secret thrill ran through Antonio's spirit. "Never die?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Well, that's the story. The reality though is that everyone dies. But you can at least delay the inevitable, if only for a while. With this." He held up the ring. "This ring will prolong your life, improve your health, and will heal even the most severe injuries. It will also sharpen your already strong wits, give you clarity of mind and wisdom." He placed the ring in Antonio's hand.  
  
"I give you knowledge and power. Use it to bring honor and glory to the house of Dimera."  
  
Antonio placed the ring on his finger and immediately felt its effects. Strength and power like he had never known coursed through his veins and a thousand plans formed in his mind. That day he began his journey to carry out his grandfather's wishes.  
  
One hundred years had passed since that fateful day; one hundred years in which he aged only twenty-five. The ring kept him young, and in great health. Every thirty years or so he'd disappear, only to re-emerge later claiming to be a son or other relative. Thus Antonio Dimera became Lucias Dimera became Cassius Dimera and finally in his latest incarnation, Alexander Dimera.  
  
One hundred years spent building an empire worthy of the Dimera name. An empire that spanned the globe. The Dimera business empire had its hand in everything from international trade to manufacturing to politics. He had wealth and power beyond measure. But there was still something missing.  
  
The ring had given him a taste of power; but it wasn't enough. The ring was losing its power. Most of Alexander's aging had occurred within the last ten years. He was now aging quickly; strength fleeing his body.  
  
Alexander glanced at the framed mirror on the wall and took note of the wrinkles and chuckled wryly. Over the century he had made many enemies. It was surviving the ten assassination attempts that had pushed the curative powers of the ring to their limits. Somehow, he needed to recharge the ring, or find some other power source capable of fighting death. He had gotten a taste of power, and he wanted more. It was no longer enough to delay death; he wanted to stop it entirely. He wanted immortality.  
  
That desperate desire brought him here, to Ireland. When his power first began to wane, he traveled the world, studying ancient mystical texts for anything that could halt the aging process. He learned that there are many places on the earth, specific places where the electromagnetic forces were strongest. Those places since ancient times have been revered in many cultures as holy, sacred. Ireland was just such a place.  
  
Specifically, the area beneath the Cassidy factory. Local lore claimed that buried deep beneath the factory was an ancient temple site once used by practicing Druids. Alexander could physically feel the power radiating from that spot through the power of his ring. Somehow, he had to unleash that power and make it his.  
  
There were many ways of accomplishing his goal, but only if he wanted to draw attention to himself. Which he didn't. So instead he deviated from his normal routine in favor of a more subtle approach. He would find a way to bring the factory under his possession, no one would care if he destroyed his own building.  
  
Alexander smiled to himself, remembering the last few years. He branched out and started a successful company in the same field as Cassidy's; manufacturing automobiles. He soon befriended his chief rival, Lord Cassidy, and met his very beautiful daughter Rhianna.  
  
His eyes smoldered as he pictured her in his mind. She was lovely, a pure flower in a desert wasteland. He desired her like he had never desired anyone in his life. He knew when he first saw her that he had to make her his along with the factory that would be her dowry.  
  
But Lord Cassidy resisted mightily. She was too young for a man of Alexander's age, and the factory's success meant that she could marry of her own choosing. But that soon changed. Thanks to a worker that Alexander planted in the Cassidy factory. It wasn't long before the business began to fail and Lord Cassidy was nearly begging for help in exchange for his daughter's hand in marriage.  
  
Almost. He almost had the luscious Rhianna and her factory in his grasp. Except for that stupid clause in their agreement, which stated that, the wedding would not occur before her seventeenth birthday. Alexander seethed in impatient fury. He couldn't wait that long. He grew older by the day. He had hoped that her father's death due to 'mysterious circumstances' would have hastened their union. But she and her meddling brother chose to be stubborn.  
  
Alexander took another long sip of brandy as a small smile played on his lips. Yes, he would allow them a little time to come to him on their own. Afterwards, he would simply have to take matters into his own hands. 


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
She had forgotten how large it was. Rhianna Cassidy stood in a grassy lot, dwarfed by the shadow of the giant red-bricked structure before her. She had last seen the Cassidy factory when she was a wee child, but still hadn't remembered it being so,.huge.  
  
Bittersweet memories played in her head. Her little hand rested in the large, strong hand of her father. They had stood together in this very same spot gazing up at the mammoth building.  
  
"Ye see that, Rhianna?" her da asked, looking down at her, his tan face lit up with a loving smile.  
  
"All this will be yours someday. 'Twill be a gift ye give to your husband."  
  
She hadn't really understood his words; she was too busy gazing in wonder at the factory.  
  
Rhianna smiled fondly. Those had been good days. They didn't last.  
  
Shortly after, her mum suddenly fell ill with a disease that struck quickly and spread even faster. Days later, she was gone, her body an empty shell. A haunting image flashed in Rhianna's mind. Her mother lying still in her bed, her face pale and drawn. Her chest heaved one last time and the light slowly faded from her eyes.  
  
Her mother wasn't the only one to die that day. Her father died too, only his death was eleven years coming. Absolutely devastated by the sudden death of his wife, and overwhelmed by the burden of his two young children, he escaped and immersed himself in the factory and alcohol. The kind, generous man who had been her father died, to be replaced by a cold, distant stranger.  
  
Rhianna pushed away the painful memories. As she stared at the imposing factory, she could feel the oppressive weight of the business resting firmly on her small shoulders. For the thousandth time since her da died, she felt panic threatening to overwhelm her. she struggled for breath. How could she eve dream of taking on her father's business? Mr. Dimera's offer echoed in her mind. She could marry him now and let him run the business. Let him take care of her.  
  
She looked again at the factory. It was more than just a building, more than just a business. It was her father; it was his effort, his passion, his worries and sleepless nights. It was his time away from her. And it was all that she had left of him.  
  
{Nae.} {I'm not going to lose it. I'm going to learn everything I can about the business and I'm going to make it succeed.} She thought firmly. Rhianna inhaled deeply and straightening her shoulders, walked through the front door.  
  
"Sweet Mother O' Mercy! Is that wee little Rhianna Cassidy?!"  
  
Rhianna turned her head to see an elderly man coming up to her. Her face split open in a wide, joyous smile.  
  
"Mr. Pearse!" she exclaimed as the old man gave her a deep hug and a hearty slap on the back.  
  
"Och, child!" he cried as he looked her up and down. "Has it been six years? How ye've grown! And call me Eamonn, lass."  
  
Eamonn Pearse was an old, dear friend of the family who had been the foreman at the factory for many years. Rhianna had seen a great deal of him when she was little as he often came over to the castle to discuss business with her father. He was a kind, warmhearted man who Rhianna absolutely adored. Therefore, she was thrilled and surprised to see him there that day.  
  
"Eamonn, I'm so glad t' see ye, but what are ye doin' here? Ye don't still work here?" she asked.  
  
"Nae, I had to retire a few years ago. My old age is finally catchin' up with me." He replied with a sly wink that revealed the youthfulness of his spirit. "I just wanted to be here to help ye get settled in. I'm glad ye decided to take over the business. Ye're going to do fine, and ye couldn't ask for a better crew. Here, let me introduce ye to the foreman." He motioned to a young man who appeared to be looking over some reports. The man looked up as they approached.  
  
Rhianna was immediately struck by the young man's good looks. He had a warm, bright smile and twinkling brown eyes. His hair was a curly strawberry blond. She smiled shyly back at him.  
  
"Rhianna, this is the foreman, Brian Flaherty. He manages the actual day- to-day operations of the factory. He supervises the employees and oversees production. He's a valuable resource, Rhianna. Don't be afraid t' use him. Ye can depend on him."  
  
Eamonn turned to the foreman. "Mr. Flaherty, this is the late Lord Cassidy's daughter, Lady Rhianna Cassidy. She will be taking over the company in her father's place."  
  
Brian smiled warmly and took her hand in his. "Sure'n it's a real pleasure, miss. I'm very sorry for your loss. Your father was a good man." He said somberly.  
  
Rhianna's smile faded a bit and her eyes grew sadder. "Thank ye for your kindness."  
  
The foreman smiled affably. "Don't mention it, miss. And Eamonn's right. Don't worry yourself about runnin' the factory. Let me handle it. No one expects ye to know everything about your father's business. I'll teach ye everything I know and what I don't know, then well, we'll just have to learn together."  
  
He smiled down at her and Rhianna found herself immediately liking the man. He seemed to have a warm, generous personality. He was very friendly and personable. She felt her fears diminish, just by knowing that he was here to help her.  
  
Eamonn and Brian led Rhianna on a tour of the factory. She was amazed by the sheer size of it; it actually seemed larger on the inside than it did on the outside. The building was three stories. The center of the structure was open to the very roof of the building and landings for the upper floors ringed around the walls. Rhianna could see workers milling around on the landings, leaning against the iron railings as they took their breaks. (A\N: To get an idea of the visual, think of a mall with multiple floors. On a higher floor you can look down and see the bottom, that's how this is.)  
  
Large machines of various shapes and sizes were housed in the center area. Some of the larger machines required more than a dozen men to operate them. Giant wheels and gears whirled loudly creating a constant, background roar that Rhianna gradually got used to. Mechanical arms moved in a blur and Rhianna gasped as a heavy press stamped dangerously close to a workers hand.  
  
"Isn't that dangerous?" she asked wide-eyed as she gazed in terror at the huge machines. There were so many moving parts, sharp cutting tools, massive weights pressing down; if just one of these were to malfunction, the results would be tragic. She flinched when a young man's sleeve got hung momentarily on a spinning gear. He quickly freed his sleeve and went back to work as if unaware of his near accident.  
  
Brian gave her a wide smile that bordered on patronizing. "Well, sure, if ye aren't careful. But our workers here are very careful and have been heavily trained. They have to work here many years before advancing to the machines. 'Tis perfectly safe." He assured her.  
  
But she wasn't quite ready to drop it yet. "Have there ever been any accidents?"  
  
Brian and Eamonn exchanged quiet looks. The foreman turned back to her again smiling. "Well, aye, when people aren't careful then accidents will happen. But they weren't very serious. If ye'll come this way." they quickly led her away from the machines and continued their tour.  
  
Along the way they explained the business. "Very simply put, we buy raw metals from local suppliers and use it to make parts which we then sell to automobile manufacturers around the world. Cassidy's was one of the first businesses in this particular industry and still one of the largest. It has become the chief source of jobs and income for Dublin. While business has always been good for us, we have recently been battled by a new rival in the form of Dimera Enterprises. We've been able to hold our own against Dimera, but in the last few years, the business has begun to have troubles. But don't ye worry bout a thing. Just leave everything to me." 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
His eyes were drawn to her the moment she entered the factory. They continued to follow her every move around the floor below.  
  
Sheamus Brady had been preparing for another hard day of work. He'd been standing on the 3rd floor landing talking idly with his coworkers when she walked in the large front doors. He was immediately aware of her.  
  
Lord, she was beautiful. Her wild auburn locks stood out beneath the gray bonnet she wore. Even though he couldn't see it from this distance he could imagine her creamy complexion, her full red lips and those sad green eyes. Even her heavy Victorian garments did little to hide her luscious figure.  
  
Sheamus scowled darkly, angry at himself for his strange attraction to the girl. {It's just lust.} he assured himself. Still, he couldn't take his eyes away from her.  
  
{What the hell is SHE doing here?!} he thought angrily, pushing aside his baser thoughts for the moment. Surely, she didn't mean to manage the company all by herself. He watched closely as she was lead on a tour around the factory. They seemed to be teaching her about the business.  
  
{This is great. Just great.} He thought sourly. {So much for getting a chance to move up in the company.} He already knew how it would be. Little Rhianna Cassidy would sit in her office all day, playing make believe, while all the real work would be done by the workers. Just like before. He sighed heavily and clocked in, preparing himself for a long, hard day.  
  
Sheamus lost himself in his work that day. When he wasn't supervising the members of his team, he was working himself on his own machine. He pushed the visions of her out of his head and focused on the hard, strenuous labor. Finally, the fourteen-hour shift was over and after closing down the machines and finishing his reports, he was ready to punch out for the day.  
  
As he stood outside the 3rd floor offices getting his things together, he heard snippets of conversation coming from the office. He heard a young woman's voice and she was obviously upset. She must have been on the telephone, for he could only hear her side of the conversation.  
  
"I understand your concerns Mr. Andrews, but I assure ye that Cassidy's is more than capable of taking care of ye, just as we have in the past. My father may have died, but nothing else has changed. Our company is in the best hands.. Aye, but..I understand...But..Aye..(heavy sigh) I thank ye for your condolences..Goodbye."  
  
Sheamus chuckled harshly to himself. {First day on the job and the little princess is already having problems. Of course, if she's losing customers, then that's not good for business.} He immediately understood why they were leaving. No businessman wants to do business with a young girl.  
  
{That's what she gets for tryin' t' do a man's job.} He paused as an idea formed in his head. Perhaps this was just the chance he'd been waiting for, an opportunity to show what he could do, a chance to advance.  
  
{This girl may be just what I need.}  
  
Rhianna sat at her oak desk with her head in her hands. Bitter tears stung at her eyes but she refused to give vent to her sadness, her frustration. She struggled for breath as her fears and anxieties threatened to suffocate her.  
  
"Oh Father, what am I going to do?" she moaned out loud.  
  
"For starters, don't ask questions of the dead. They cannot help ye." A strange voice spoke into the air, startling her out of her thoughts. She looked up in surprise.  
  
"You?" she cried in astonishment.  
  
Sheamus was immediately struck by the pain on her face. He could tell that she had been trying not to cry and he grudgingly felt admiration for her. He recognized this and fought against it, hardening himself against her. {This is your chance, Sheamus.} he reminded himself.  
  
Rhianna pulled herself together and stood to her feet. She was embarrassed to have been caught in such an emotional and vulnerable state, especially by him. She remembered him from the funeral; her housekeeper's son. She remembered the arrogant looks he shot her, the insolent way his eyes bore into her figure. She crossed her arms in front of her as if to shield herself from the strange man.  
  
"What are ye doing here?" she demanded haughtily.  
  
"I work here." He replied with an insolent smirk as his eyes again traveled over her luscious curves.  
  
"Really? I don't recall meeting you." She stated coolly.  
  
"I missed the formal introductions. Too busy working. I'm Sheamus Brady." He said simply.  
  
"I know." She replied quickly, perhaps too quickly to conceal her inner thoughts.  
  
Sheamus cocked a blond eyebrow. "Really? Tell me, are ye a mind reader or something?" he asked with a sly smile.  
  
Rhianna averted her eyes as a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "Nae. I just know that ye're the son of Mrs. Brady - our housekeeper." She replied with as much dignity as she could muster.  
  
His face soured. {Housekeeper.}  
  
"How is she doing, anyway? My brother and I miss her terribly at the castle." She began at an attempt to start a conversation. "Why, I even tried cooking the other day. It was pretty ba."  
  
"My mother is fine." He replied curtly.  
  
An awkward silence followed in the small office. Finally Rhianna gifted Sheamus with a direct stare. "So, is there something I can do for ye, Mr. Brady?"  
  
He shook himself out of his angry reverie and remembered the reason for his visit. "Actually, Lady Cassidy, I came by to see if there was something I could do for ye."  
  
"Like what?" she asked with a cool toss of her red gold hair.  
  
"Well, I happened to overhear your little conversation right now. Having problems with your customers?" he taunted.  
  
"Nothing I cannot handle." She replied with a frosty smile.  
  
"Right, cause ye were handling it so well just a moment ago."  
  
"Ye think ye can do better?" she asked hotly.  
  
He laughed loudly. "Well, I cannot do worse." He motioned to the phone on her desk. "May I?"  
  
"By all means." She replied as she settled back into her chair to watch.  
  
Sheamus picked up the customer information report that she had been working from and dialed the next customer on the list.  
  
"Mr. Finnagin!" he greeted him cheerfully. "Tis Sheamus Brady. Ye went to school with me da. Aye, it's wee little Sheamus. I'm not so wee now. (laughs) Aye, the time does certainly fly fast. How's your family? Och, your wee ones are grown too? My mum's fine, thanks for askin'. She's still got a touch of the flu that's been goin' round. Aye it has been a nasty one.."  
  
Rhianna watched in awe as Sheamus chatted happily with her customer. Charm simply oozed out of his mouth. He was friendly, and affable, and perfectly at ease with the customer, where she had been very shy and uncertain with them.  
  
Sheamus continued. "Now, Mr. Finnagin, are ye sure ye won't reconsider your decision? I understand your concerns, believe me I do. It is always difficult when a great leader of a company like Lord Cassidy dies. But let me personally assure you, this factory is in great hands. Our workers have worked here all of their lives, our foreman has many years of experience. I know ye're hesitant to do business with a young woman like Rhianna, but her primary functions will be to manage the books and look pretty." Sheamus laughed loudly.  
  
Rhianna scowled, shooting red-hot daggers and the man before her. How dare he demean her like that? She was still glaring at him when he hung up the phone, a satisfied smile on his face.  
  
"Well, not only is Mr. Finnagin going to remain with us, but he has increased his usual order. Aren't ye happy? This is good news!"  
  
"I'm just here to look pretty!!!" she cried, indignant.  
  
Sheamus grinned widely. "Aye, and ye're doin a great job." He declared with a bold wink. He watched her face become a darker shade of furious red and he threw up his hands in surrender. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"  
  
She nodded in understanding. She didn't like it, but that was how the world was, unfortunately. She looked at the rest of the customers on the list. "Think you can do it again?" she challenged, her eyes flashing with green fire.  
  
One by one, Sheamus went through the names. Many of the people he already knew, others he had only heard of. Even the complete strangers, though, soon warmed up to his irresistible charm. Thirty minutes later, he hung up the phone, a large stack of orders beside him.  
  
Rhianna stared at him in wonder. "Ye did it. I don't know how ye did it, but ye did it." Their eyes locked momentarily, dueling spheres of sapphire and emerald. Rhianna's pulse quickened and she fidgeted nervously.  
  
"Thank ye." She said simply, gratitude shining in her large eyes.  
  
Sheamus broke contact and shuttered his eyes. Something about that intense moment had unnerved him greatly. A cold hard smile settled over his features as he once again fell into character.  
  
"Don't thank me, princess. I didn't do it for ye. Now I'll agree to be your new salesman but I want a raise of 20% plus commission." He stated simply.  
  
Rhianna nodded quickly, stunned by the intimate encounter.  
  
"Good." He replied with a curt nod. "Then I'll see ye tomorrow." He said as he walked out the office door. 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
"Excuse me? I was under the impression that all of Cassidy's clients were leaving them. Not only is that not the case, but they have more orders than ever. Care to explain?" Alexander Dimera turned cold, glittering eyes on the sniveling man in front of him.  
  
"I - I don't know what happened, sir. The customers were leaving like ye planned, but then someone helped her, an employee who convinced the customers to stay."  
  
"What is his name?"  
  
"Uh.Sheamus Brady, sir. He's a bright hardworking kid, who has ambitions to move up in the company. He was already a shift leader and now Rhianna has put him in charge of sales." The spy answered, waiting for the explosion of temper that was sure to follow.  
  
But Alexander remained calm, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Brady, hmm? I want you to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't get too close to my bride. I don't want her to depend on anyone but me."  
  
"Aye, sir. What should we do about their customers?"  
  
Dimera fingered his graying beard. "When will the first shipment go out?"  
  
"In two days, sir."  
  
Dimera smiled evilly. "Their customers have put their trust in Rhianna and her company. It would be a shame if that trust was betrayed."  
  
"Sir?" the man asked, not quite following his boss.  
  
"Tomorrow, just before the finished pieces go out, I want you to work your 'magic' on them. When all of their customers receive defective parts, they'll come running to me. And Rhianna Cassidy will follow."  
  
"There, that ought to hold it." Sean Cassidy mumbled as he hammered in the last nail. He stepped back to survey his handiwork. Well, it wasn't the thorough repair that the roof so desperately needed, but at least it would keep the spring rains out. He straightened his body from the hunched over position he had held for the last few hours and shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his well-muscled forearm and carefully climbed down the wooden ladder.  
  
"There ye go, Mrs. Ceannt." He said cheerfully to the elderly woman who hobbled over to him as he descended the ladder.  
  
"Och, thank ye so much, Sean lad." She smiled warmly at him, creating deep creases in her heavily lined and weathered face.  
  
"Don't mention it. But next time somethin' needs repairin, be sure t' let me know, okay? Before ye spring a leak?" he added with a wink. "Now, do ye ladies need anythin' else? Mr. Callahan will be by shortly with the food for the week."  
  
"Nae, lad. We'll be fine. Get on now. I know ye have a great deal t' do without worryin' 'bout us." Mrs. Ceannt replied cheerfully. "Wait though, before ye go. Take these for yourself and that sister of yours." The little old lady said and handed him several linen handkerchiefs neatly folded.  
  
Sean unfolded one of the handkerchiefs and admired the fine craftsmanship. A beautiful, exquisite design had been carefully hand embroidered on the white linen. "I don't know how ye do it, Mrs. Ceannt. Each one ye two make is finer than the last. They really 'n truly are a work of art."  
  
The hobbled woman blushed deeply in her pale face. "Och. Tis just a hobby o' ours. Helps pass the time." She replied modestly as she squinted at the young man before her.  
  
"Well, give Mrs. Plunkett my love and I will come back by in a few days t' see how ye're doing."  
  
"Thank ye laddie." Her face grew wistful and sad for a moment. "Your father would be so proud t' see ye now. We can never thank ye enough for all your family has done for us."  
  
Sean felt a deep blush creep into his tanned cheeks. "Ye don't have t' thank us. Tis our pleasure. Talk to ye later. Good day." He called as he exited the ladies' small three room wooden cabin.  
  
As he walked the several acres back to the castle, his thoughts turned, as they often did, to his sister Rhianna. {I wonder how's she doing at the factory.} It had been several days since she first went to work and he was gradually getting used to being separated from her. It was strange. As twins they were already very close. Their mother's death had made them even more so. As their father withdrew further and further from them, they turned to each other for love and support. They were so closely connected, that they could always sense the other's emotional state and knew instinctively what the other was feeling.  
  
{I wish I could help her at the factory. But who would run the castle, and take care of the people who depend on us, like Mrs. Ceannt and Mrs. Plunkett. No, the castle is mine, and 'tis my responsibility t' care for it. Like it's Rhianna's t' see t' the factory.} Besides, he realized with a chuckle, he would not be any help at the factory. He enjoyed the simple life at the castle; farming and carpentry. He was simply too easy going and gentle to be an effective employer.  
  
On the other hand, Rhianna was a born leader; giving orders and overseeing others just came naturally to her. She had spent a lot of time at the factory with their father when she was little, learning about the factory, about business in general. That's why it hadn't taken her long to fall into the role of manager and bookkeeper.  
  
She worked long, hard days, from before sunrise to well after the sun set. Yet, Sean suspected that Rhianna secretly loved it. She loved the business and wanted to see it succeed. As did he. As long as it was successful, they could put off her impending marriage to Dimera.  
  
Sean's stomach twisted with bile at the thought of that man. He saw the way he looked at his sister, the way his beady little eyes crawled over her body. He had wanted her from the very first time he saw her, and had manipulated their father to get her. Sean knew that his father would never have agreed to the match, had years of alcohol and business worries not weakened his mind and heart.  
  
{There has t' be a way out of this. Rhianna cannot marry that man.} Sean racked his brain for a solution to the question that had plagued him since their father died. {We could leave. Just run away somewhere. To America.} But Sean dismissed the idea as quickly as it had come. They couldn't leave their home. Sean loved the old castle and the rolling green estate, just as Rhianna loved the factory. Not only that, but they couldn't desert the people who depended on them. The poor who lived on their land and ate food that they grew, the workers at the factory and their families who lived on their wages, the local economy in general that thrived on the Cassidy business.  
  
No, running away wasn't the solution. If they didn't need the money, then Rhianna wouldn't have to marry Dimera. Since their father's death, Sean was now Rhianna's legal guardian, at least until she married. He could protest the arrangement, annul the agreement. There was still the matter of the Church, since the bans had already been read. But what would they do, excommunicate them? Sean was willing to risk that to ensure that Rhianna remain out of Dimera's clutches.  
  
But this was IF they didn't need the money. Unfortunately though, they did. The estate was fairly self-sufficient as it had been for centuries past. Acres of farmland provided plenty of food for everyone, and the surplus was sold at market for additional income. The estate was also home to a variety of livestock; chicken, goats, and sheep among others. With the estate's considerable assets; land, buildings, antique furniture and priceless jewelry, the Cassidy children were hardly destitute.  
  
But while the estate held a great deal of value, it was severely lacking in money, due to the late Lord Cassidy's mismanagement of the estate's funds. Sean sighed heavily as he looked at the overgrown landscape around him. It was killing him to see the lovely estate fall into ruin and disrepair. But the desperate repairs the castle and lands needed required money, and a great deal of it. Which brought him back to his original problem. How to prevent Rhianna's marriage to Dimera, and still gain the money they need.  
  
{What if I were t' marry into money?} Sean thought. {That would solve all of our problems.} But who? Sean then remembered a young girl he had once been introduced to. She was Scottish, Miriam Lockeheart. Her father was a very wealthy industrialist of humble birth. It would be the perfect arrangement. He would get her considerable dowry, and she would gain a title and move up into the noble class.  
  
Sean smiled as the plan began to take shape. She was a nice enough girl, kind of pretty. {But would she be able to manage a castle like this?} he wondered. {Well, that can always be taught, and with her money, we can hire more servants.} Sean felt a huge weight float from his shoulders with his decision. He would marry Miss Lockeheart and save Rhianna.  
  
A momentary pang of regret twisted in his heart. {What about love?} Sean stopped dead in his tracks. Well, marriages of convenience weren't unheard of. Men in that situation usually found a way around it. Although Sean knew he couldn't be like them and have mistresses on the side. Sean shook away the troubling thought. {I know we'll grow t' love each other. And if we don't, well, 'tis a small price t' pay for Rhianna's happiness.}  
  
Sean was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't see the petite blond- haired girl until he'd almost run her down.  
  
"Oh, excuse me." he trailed off as he found himself staring into the bluest eyes he had ever seen.  
  
The girl blushed slightly under his gaze and hesitantly introduced herself.  
  
"L, Lord Cassidy. I'm your new maid. Elizabeth Brady."  
Rhianna closed the general ledger books with a snap. "Time to go home." She mumbled aloud. {The rest can wait till tomorrow.} She stood and stretched from the cramped position she had held as she poured over the company's books. Maybe she didn't yet know what she was doing, but something about the books just didn't look right. It was almost as if there was money missing, but that couldn't be.  
  
She gathered her things and exited the office, locking it securely behind her. {Hmm, I guess everyone has already left.} She glanced at her pocket watch and saw that it was already well into the evening. She stifled a yawn and left the building and began the long walk toward home.  
  
She crunched through the forest, enjoying the beauty of the spring evening. Her spirits had lifted since leaving the factory and she felt the innocent joys of childhood. She looked up at the clear starlit sky and then looked around her again. {Ooooh, Banshee Forest. I hope I don't run into any vengeful spirits.} she laughed. {I cannot believe that people actually believe the old legends. Singing spirits - more like wind in the trees.} A mournful howl ripped through the forest then and Rhianna stopped short at the noise. She paused for a moment before laughing loudly at herself.  
  
She was grateful for the walk; it gave her the chance to clear her mind. She had learned a great deal that day. {Including how to properly read an inventory report.} She blushed in chagrin. {I cannot believe I did that.} she moaned. {Not quite the impression I wanted to make.}  
  
She had misread the report and panicked to find that they were dangerously low on vital supplies. So she called in a large shipment only to learn that they already had more than enough of the raw material in another storage shed. Rhianna shook her head wryly as her cheeks continued to burn. {Of course it had to be that.that.rogue Sheamus Brady to discover my mistake.} His laughing eyes and mocking smile were burned into her memory. He seemed to take a perverse pleasure in taunting her. "Your fancy governess did teach ye how t' read, right? Because if not, I'd be more than happy to teach ye."  
  
Rhianna forced the thoughts of that infuriating man out of her mind. Mr. Flaherty though had been very understanding. "Twas an honest mistake, Rhianna, that anyone could make. Besides, we'll use it all, eventually." And he had flashed her a kind smile that had warmed her heart.  
  
She blushed slightly as she thought of the handsome young man. She wasn't sure when he had started calling her by her Christian name, but she didn't really mind. He was so warm and friendly, very unlike that Sheamus, and she was relieved to know that she could count on him to help run the business. They spent a great deal of time together as they talked about the company, and she learned more from him every day. It was very nice and easy just being around him, and she liked the way he made her feel.  
  
Rhianna came out of her thoughts quickly when she heard a muffled noise ahead of her. She was halfway home, in the middle of a forest, with no one else nearby. Her heart rate increased, as did her pace. It had never occurred to her that walking home at this hour would be unsafe, but now she realized her dangerous predicament.  
  
She continued her brisk pace, keeping her eyes moving about her. Suddenly a dark figure stepped out from behind the bushes in front of her. Rhianna stopped suddenly and stared at the man wide-eyed. She resembled a deer caught in headlights. She slowly took in the man's appearance.  
  
He was dirty. A scraggily beard covered most of a heavily lined tanned face. Red watery eyes peered out beneath two bushy eyebrows. His clothes were ragged and filthy and he reeked of booze. Rhianna raised a dainty hand to her nose to ward off the stench.  
  
"Excuse me miss." his gravely voice rasped. "Do ye have the time?"  
  
She felt a surge of relief flow through her racing veins. She fumbled for her pocket watch and held it in the light of the full moon.  
  
"Tis just after eight." She replied.  
  
"Thank ye, miss."  
  
She stood there awkwardly, waiting for him to leave. She still felt unsure about the situation and she didn't want him following her.  
  
"Do ye need anything else?" she prompted after a long moment had passed and he hadn't moved.  
  
His beady red eyes traveled over her figure. "Lor, but your a pretty thing.young.sweet."  
  
Rhianna backed away then, feeling her earlier fear return full force. She was reminded again of her precarious predicament. She was all alone with this crazy old man in the middle of the forest. What was she going to do?  
  
The dirty man advanced on her slowly. She backed up automatically and caught her heel on an exposed tree root. She stumbled backwards to land on the hard ground. She looked up to find the old man standing over her, leering drunkenly at her. She let out a frightened cry and tried to scramble to her feet. But before she could move the man swayed on his unsteady feet and fell on top of her.  
  
Rhianna froze rigidly under his massive weight. A tense moment passed and then two. Rhianna looked at the drunk. He wasn't moving. She shook him slightly and found him to be unconscious. "He passed out." She realized with a relieved laugh.  
  
"But I still have to get him off me." She struggled fruitlessly with his dead weight. She finally screamed at him from fear and frustration.  
  
"Get off of me!" She pounded her fists against the massive bulk.  
  
Suddenly the crushing weight was removed. Rhianna's sudden relief quickly turned to fear to find another dark figure standing over her. 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
"Can I get ye anything else, Lord Cassidy?" Elizabeth Brady asked her employer.  
  
"Nae, thank ye, Elizabeth." Sean Cassidy replied with a warm smile. "However what ye can do is call me Sean. 'Lord Cassidy' makes me sound ancient when I'm barely a year older than ye."  
  
"O-okay." Elizabeth agreed with a hesitant smile.  
  
Sean's eyes flickered over the girl's figure. At fifteen, her curves had only recently begun to form. Her small, rounded breasts pressed against the fabric of her blue cotton dress. She had a small waist and gently rounded hips. He was amazed that she was the same Elizabeth he'd known as a child. She had certainly done some growing since he had last seen her. She was no longer a child.  
  
He tore his eyes away from her and admonished himself for looking at a maid in such an improper way. He glanced back at Elizabeth. "I apologize."  
  
"For what?"  
  
{She didn't notice,} he realized with a rush of relief. "Nothing." He looked back into her large, innocent blue eyes. She wasn't a child, but she wasn't yet a woman either. The realization filled him with desire for the girl, which he quickly squashed. She was young, innocent, and he.was not. He shook his head in annoyance with himself. {She's your maid, Sean. Hands off.}  
  
Sean noticed Elizabeth standing nervously by his side. Poor girl, she still wasn't quite sure of her duties. "Elizabeth, would ye care to join me for supper? Rhianna's been working late nights lately, and I don't like to eat alone. Besides," he added with a roguish wink, "Ye cooked this fabulous dinner, ye should enjoy some of it."  
  
Elizabeth plopped into a chair moaning gratefully as she rested her aching feet. "Oh, it feels so good to sit down. I have muscles hurting I didn't know I had." She was used to working hard at home, but that was nothing compared to the work at the castle. Even though the Cassidys only used a small portion of the castle, it was still a large space that required diligent cleaning to maintain it. She wondered how they got by with so few servants.  
  
Sean smiled at her exuberance. "Aye, I'm afraid there's quite a work to be done here," he agreed kindly.  
  
Elizabeth remembered her brother's warning. She blushed as she realized she had complained in front of her employer. "I'm sorry. It's not that bad really and I'm grateful for the opportunity you've given me."  
  
Sean smiled in understanding. He enjoyed her refreshing honesty. "Tis quite all right. Took me a while to get used to the workload here. And I'm very grateful that ye came to fill in for your mother."  
  
Elizabeth brightened. "Really?"  
  
"Aye, ye saved me from having to eat my sister's cooking."  
  
Sean sipped at the hearty lamb stew. "Speaking of cooking, this is really quite good, Elizabeth." He complimented her.  
  
She blushed as she took a sip of the soup. "Och, thank ye. It's me mum's recipe. Everything I learned about cooking, and housekeeping in general, I learned from her." she stated wistfully, thinking of her sick mother.  
  
"And how is she doing?"  
  
"She's still pretty much the same." She replied somberly. "Sometimes, it seems as if she's getting better, but then it gets worse again. I just don't know."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that." Sean said sincerely. He recognized the sad pain in her blue eyes. It was something he was all-too familiar with. He gently placed his hand over hers, squeezing her small hand with his. "If there's anything I can do for ye, or your family, please let me know." He told her, his warm brown eyes staring into hers.  
  
"Thank ye, Lord Cass. I mean, Sean." She said shyly. She was taken aback by the easy, caring manner with which he treated her. She had expected from her brother's ill opinion of the Cassidys, that Sean would be difficult and proud. Instead he had gone out of his way to make her feel at ease in his castle. And when he smiled at her, his large brown eyes shining, he made her feel.special. It was a nice feeling.  
  
She looked up from her soup to find Sean gazing at her thoughtfully. "So Elizabeth, tell me about the rest of your family."  
  
"Well, it's just me, Mum, and Sheamus. Ye know Da died when I was eight."  
  
"Aye, I remember. Your mum wore black for a long time. She was so sad. I'm sorry for your loss."  
  
Her bright blue eyes dimmed for a moment as remembered pain washed over her. "Thank ye. It was hard for a while but Sheamus just took over for Da. He works so hard, and now I rarely see him anymore. I miss him."  
  
"Ye really think a lot of your brother, don't ye?"  
  
"Aye. He's my hero, always has been. He's so strong and brave, especially now with Mum sick. He holds our family together. I know he's not perfect, but he very nearly is."  
  
Sean chuckled. The adoration on Elizabeth's face was plain to see. "I'm afraid my sister doesn't share your high opinion of him." He had been forced to listen to many of Rhianna's tirades against "that Sheamus Brady" since she went to work at the factory.  
  
"Well, she doesn't know him," Elizabeth stated matter of factly.  
  
They continued their conversation; food growing cold as it sat forgotten on the table. Sean was really enjoying her company. She was so unlike any other girl he'd ever met. She was genuine, natural, and honest. She had cares and worries beyond 'what am I going to wear today.' She was real.  
  
As they talked, more and more of Elizabeth's personality came out. She felt comfortable in Sean's presence and she was able to forget that he was her employer. Her face shone and her eyes lit up as they talked and laughed. They shared stories and memories from when they were kids. They joked about the weather and what Farmer Brown had said in church the other Sunday. They talked about acquaintances and mutual friends, and before they knew it, hours had passed.  
  
Elizabeth noticed the late hour and jumped to her feet. "Oh no, I've got to get home to care for Mum!"  
  
Sean stood up. "Don't worry about clearing the dishes. I'll take care of it. Give your mother our greetings."  
  
He walked her to the door. "I'm glad you're here, Elizabeth. I'll see ye tomorrow." As he watched her leave he found himself hoping that she would be working there for a while.  
His rich voice filled the night air. He sang a jaunty tune as he strolled through Banshee Forest on his way to Cassidy Keep.  
  
"What do you think I've been doing all day? Boozing, bloody well boozing! And how do you think I've been spending my pay? Boozing, bloody well boozing! Don't argue the point, 'cause you know I'm not right. Don't tell me I'm wrong, 'cause you know I can't fight. Where would you like me to take you tonight? Boozing, bloody well boozing!"  
  
He laughed as he jumped into the chorus of the silly drinking song. He had stopped by the pub for his usual after work beer before making his trip to Cassidy's to pick up his sister.  
  
"And what are the joys of the laboring man? Boozing, bloody well." He trailed off then as a sudden noise caught his attention. It sounded like a human cry, high pitched, suddenly hushed. Sheamus frowned as he looked around him. It was late in the evening, in the middle of Banshee Forest. Who else could be around? Who else would be walking this way except.  
  
"Rhianna" he breathed. He broke into a run toward the noise and soon came to a small clearing. Muffled sounds came to his ear and directed his attention to the base of a tree a few feet away. He found the source of the noises and his blood froze in fear only to be sent boiling in anger. He could now clearly see a man lying on top of a girl. {Rhianna.} She was struggling uselessly.  
  
"Get off of me!" she screamed.  
  
That did it. Sheamus ran to the man and picked him bodily off of the frantic girl. "Bastard!" he cried and prepared to ram his fist down the man's throat.  
  
"Don't hit him!" a feminine voice cried.  
  
He looked in surprise at Rhianna. "What? He tried to attack you!"  
  
"No he didn't. Although I'm sure that was his intent."  
  
Sheamus looked at her in puzzled confusion.  
  
"Look at him." She said in explanation.  
  
Sheamus looked at the man closely and saw that he was unconscious.  
  
"He passed out before he could carry out his plans. Only he passed out on top of me. I was trying to get him off when you arrived." She explained.  
  
"Oh." Sheamus said, feeling slightly foolish for his earlier display. He realized he was still holding the man up in the air and dropped him to land in a heap on the ground.  
  
"So, what should we do with our friend here?" he asked to recover his injured pride  
  
"I don't know. I don't think we can carry him far and I don't want to leave him here. He did try to attack me."  
  
"I wonder who he is." Sheamus knelt and began pawing through the old man's clothing, looking for identification of some kind. "Ah, here we go. Well, tomorrow morning I'll just go to the police and tell him about Mr. Thomas here. They can decide what to do with him."  
  
Rhianna nodded at his suggestion. It was the best option.  
  
The two stood for a moment in awkward silence.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll just be going then." Rhianna spoke up.  
  
"Aye, me too. By the way, ye're welcome."  
  
Rhianna stopped short. "For what?"  
  
"Saving you."  
  
"Aye. Thank ye MR. Brady. It takes a great deal of bravery to beat senseless an unconscious foe."  
  
"Aye well, ye were lucky. And what the hell were ye doing walking through the forest at night by yourself? Are ye trying to get yourself killed?" 'Not that I'd mind.' He muttered under his breath.  
  
"I can take care of myself." Rhianna stated coolly.  
  
"Really. What would ye have done if he hadn't passed out and if I hadn't come by? Hmm?"  
  
She looked at him for a long moment as she fought to control her temper. Why did he have to be the one to save her? He was so.infuriating. She knew she was never going to hear the end of it. She placed her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know that I would have kicked. His. Butt."  
  
Sheamus just looked at her incredulously.  
  
"And what are you doing here? Are you following me?" Rhianna asked, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"As it happens.yes. But I didn't know it. I'm on my way to your castle to pick up my sister Elizabeth. She knows better than to walk through the forest alone at night." He mocked.  
  
"I'm glad someone in your family has brains." Rhianna countered.  
  
"Look, LADY Cassidy, we're both heading to the castle which is still some distance away. The walk is not going to get any shorter while we stand here trading insults. I suggest we get moving and we can insult each other on the way."  
  
"Fine." She replied coolly.  
  
They walked in silence for many minutes. Rhianna softly broke the silence, her voice barely audible.  
  
"Thank ye."  
  
Sheamus shook himself out of his thoughts. He looked over at the girl beside him. "For what?"  
  
She kept her face downcast, staring at the ground in front of her. "For saving me."  
  
"Um.ye're welcome."  
  
"I don't know what I would've done if ye hadn't come along."  
  
"Aye well, try to be safer from now on. I don't want anything to happen to ye."  
  
Rhianna looked up at Sheamus and stared into his blue eyes. "Really?" She replied, taken aback by his words.  
  
"Aye." He replied sincerely. "If ye die, then who will sign my paychecks?" He cracked with a wide grin.  
  
Rhianna recognized his joke and laughed. Sheamus joined in, enjoying the melodic sound of her laughter. He realized suddenly that he had never heard her laugh before, had never seen her face glow like it was at that moment. He remembered her father's funeral. {I guess she hasn't had much to laugh about of late. Not that I care.} he reminded himself firmly.  
  
"So um, why are you walking?" He asked. "Don't tell me the Great Lady Cassidy doesn't have a carriage." He mocked.  
  
"Of course we do! We have several, thank ye." she replied haughtily. Then softer, "Just no one to drive them."  
  
"Isn't that what servants are for?"  
  
"How many servants do ye think we have?"  
  
"Ten, twenty?"  
  
Rhianna laughed harshly. "Try three." She continued, her eyes taking on a sad, faraway look. "Once we had many servants. All of them were like family and your mother managed all of them. I can just barely remember those times, when Mum was still alive. There were balls, and parties, and the castle was always filled with laughter."  
  
She sighed heavily and put the memories behind her. "But those times are gone. But it doesn't mean they can't come again."  
  
Sheamus listened to her story intently, and found himself interested in her history despite himself. "There's something I've been wondering. Why did ye take over your father's business? Why not your brother?"  
  
"Well, I took over because the business belongs to me. It's my inheritance. See, Sean gets the estate, and I get the factory. It's my dowry." She added softly.  
  
Sheamus cocked a blond eyebrow. "Dowry? So the man who marries you." he trailed off in thought.  
  
"Gets the factory, aye." She finished.  
  
"That's no small prize." He murmured as the wheels in his brain began to turn. "Ye must have suitors lined up through the next town."  
  
Rhianna looked down at the ground. "Only one."  
  
He glanced at her speculatively. "Only one?"  
  
She sighed then, remembering her impending marriage to Alexander Dimera. "Only one." She looked over at Sheamus and saw the devious grin that crept over his features. "What are ye thinking, Mr. Brady?"  
  
His smile widened. "Nothing." 


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
"Och, tis beautiful country. Ye would love it; rolling green hills, sky that stretches on forever. Really n truly God's country."  
  
"Ye must have loved growing up there." Rhianna commented with a warm smile.  
  
Brian Flaherty's face grew wistful. "Aye, that I did. Not that we didn't have our troubles. Me da died when I was very young and it was just Mum to raise the seven of us, the best she could."  
  
"Seven?! I can't imagine what it must have been like. I mean, Sean and I were trouble enough for our da and he had servants to raise us. How did your mother manage it?" Rhianna asked earnestly while taking another bite of her lunch.  
  
"Well, we helped, best we could. The seven of us just kinda looked after each other."  
  
"Sounds like a very close-knit family."  
  
Brian smiled deeply, his brown eyes twinkling warmly. "Aye, that we were. Still are, actually. Although at the time I did hate it. See I was born smack dab in the middle of the seven; I got it on both sides. On the one hand, the older kids had all the freedom while the younger kids got all the attention. I used to feel so invisible, like no one cared about me. But of course that was hardly the case. Ah the perception of youth." Brian laughed and Rhianna joined in.  
  
She had grown to love these daily lunch breaks of theirs. They had suddenly started when one day Rhianna decided to leave the factory for a bit of fresh air. She had found the foreman under an old oak tree in the grassy lot adjacent to the factory. He had invited her to lunch with him and they enjoyed their time together so much that it became an unspoken arrangement that they would take their breaks together.  
  
At first they had talked mainly of business. Brian kept her abreast of the factory's status. He also taught her a few things that he knew about business, for she still had much to learn. But soon their talk had turned to family and relationships and other light topics.  
  
Rhianna was surprised to learn that Brian, as a young man in his mid 20's, was still unmarried and unattached. She couldn't fathom how such a nice, charming and good-looking man as he could still be single, and told him as much.  
  
She smiled to see the deep pink blush on his tanned cheeks. "I don't know." He replied seriously. "I guess I just haven't found the right woman." He added with a meaningful gaze into Rhianna's green eyes.  
  
She hastily averted her eyes. His weighted statement had thrown her emotions for a loop. It was becoming clear from his tender treatment toward her that he had feelings for her. and she was almost certain that she cared for him as well. He was young, good looking with a warm, generous spirit. She so enjoyed being around him. He made her feel happy, safe.  
  
Unlike that Sheamus Brady. When she was around him she felt anything but safe. Not that she feared him, exactly. On the contrary he had managed to come to her rescue twice now. No, it was herself she feared. She feared the things that Sheamus made her feel.  
  
At sixteen, she had done a great deal of growing and maturing in a short period of time. But she was still very much a child; innocent of the knowledge of men and sex. And that's why she feared Sheamus. He made her feel funny inside, unlike the innocent crushes of her youth. This was deeper, stronger, with the power to possibly destroy her. Changes were taking place, deep inside her. And they terrified her.  
  
Rhianna abruptly brought herself out of her thoughts. {Why are ye thinking about that arrogant, infuriating, egotistical man? The only thing ye feel is pure, red-hot anger.} She thought about his mocking blue eyes that sometimes smoldered with intensity. She thought about his well toned and tanned body and his wild blond hair. She thought about the way her heart raced whenever they were in the same room.  
  
She thought about how she never seemed to know quite what was going through his mind. At first he had been mocking and condescending. But since last night he had changed. He smiled at her, opened doors for her, complimented her ideas. He seemed to go out of his way to charm her - and she could tell that something was up his sleeve.  
  
Rhianna turned her attention back to her companion. This was why she enjoyed being with Brian so much. He didn't play games with her. He was just his sweet, kind, funny self. Their growing relationship was nice, comfortable.  
  
Besides as she reminded herself, the whole thing was pointless. In ten months she would be married to Mr. Dimera and that would be the end of it. Rhianna brought herself out of her reverie and smiled sweetly at Brian. They resumed their conversation and laughed and talked the rest of the break.  
Sheamus groaned and rolled his shoulders to loosen the tense muscles. He was halfway through what was shaping up to be an especially long and hard day. It had been hard due to last minute preparations to ensure that the shipment would be ready on time. Long because his mind had raced non-stop the entire day. He replayed the information he had learned last night over and over in his head. He shook his head in disbelief. The chance he had been waiting for almost his entire life was now in front of him. Rhianna was the key.  
  
He looked around at the factory in awe. {This is her dowry. And the man who marries her gets it all.} Fire burned in his blood as he thought about the possibilities. Finally the chance to run the company. Not just run it - own it. Finally the chance to show everyone what he could do. To restore Cassidy's to its former glory, and beyond.  
  
He looked again at the factory. He noticed the peeling paint, the cracks in the walls, the leaking pipes. The same dangerous equipment that had killed his father. There was so much that needed to be done. The factory was in need of serious maintenance and repair. But first it would have to begin really making a profit. But he knew he could do it if given the chance.  
  
He glanced out the window and saw Rhianna lunching with the foreman. She was his chance. He frowned when she laughed deeply at one of Brian's statements. {She has a suitor.} he remembered. {Could it be him? He probably wants the factory too.} His stomach twisted in bile at the thought of someone wanting to use Rhianna just to get her factory. {Isn't that what you're trying to do?} he reminded himself. "So I have a little competition." He muttered aloud. "No big deal. Once I turn on the charm - she'll be all mine. Along with the factory."  
  
He paused for a moment and imagined married life with the feisty redhead. He imagined the emerald fire that would blaze in her eyes when they fought. He imagined the furious blush on her cheeks - the haughty toss of her wavy long hair. He imagined the fun they would have "making up" afterwards.  
  
{Hmmm. Could be interesting.} He shrugged his shoulders and threw himself back into his work.  
Hours later, he stretched his tired arm muscles and looked over at the stacked crates of parts ready for shipment. He smiled with pride at the sight. Their first shipment - since Lord Cassidy's death and since Rhianna took over the reins. He was especially proud of this shipment because he had been the one to convince their reticent customers to place an order with the Cassidy's instead of going to the competition.  
  
For this reason the shipment was extremely important. It would reestablish their customers' trust in Cassidy's. Or destroy it utterly if there were something wrong with the parts, or if the shipment did not arrive on time.  
  
Sheamus looked at the crates and was suddenly struck with the urge to open them, to perform a quality check on the parts. He hesitated though, momentarily. To go behind the backs of the quality control inspectors and recheck the parts himself would be a serious insult to them. Like saying he didn't trust them to do their jobs.  
  
But he had to check them. He had personally sold the parts - many of them to people he knew. His professional reputation was on the line - not to mention everyone's jobs at the factory. He would just have to be.discreet.  
  
He had just finished inspecting two crates and was cracking the lid on the third. He peered into the crate and his blood froze.  
Rhianna rubbed her tired, red eyes. The numbers on her balance sheet had begun to blur and dance before her.  
  
"Aaarrgh!" she gritted in frustration. Something was still off with the books - and it went back quite a while. Years, in fact. At this point she honestly didn't know if it were the books or just her.  
  
{Well, ye're not gonna find it tonight. Go home'n get some rest.} She pulled on her coat and was just going to call and see if Sheamus was ready to leave when he bust into the office, his pale face a portrait of barely controlled panic. His words took her breath away.  
  
"There's something wrong with the shipment." 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
"So, what have ye got for us tonight?" Sean's eyes twinkled as he placed the linen napkin in his lap.  
  
Elizabeth laughed as she removed the lid of the silver platter to reveal a steaming plate of mouthwatering food. "Tonight, we're having roast beef and mashed potatoes, with carrots and corn."  
  
Sean's mouth fell open at the spread that laid before him. "Wow."  
  
"And we have pie."  
  
"Pie?"  
  
"Pie."  
  
Sean smiled as Elizabeth sat down beside him. This was quickly becoming his favorite part of the day. He found himself looking forward to their dinners together, and not just for the amazing meals. He simply delighted in her company and it was the one time of day when they could talk.  
  
Elizabeth watched in anticipation as Sean took his first bite. She wanted the look of joy that crossed his features when he was eating good food. She lived for this moment and found herself taking extra time and care in preparing dinner. Where at first she might have done so out of a nervous desire to please her employer, she now did so simply to see the look on his face.  
  
A delirious smile formed on Sean's lips. "Och Elizabeth, this is heaven."  
  
Elizabeth laughed with delight. "Ye said that yesterday!"  
  
"Aye, well it's hard to improve upon heaven. Okay, this is better than heaven."  
  
"That's better."  
  
"So how was your day?"  
  
"Good," Elizabeth answered, swallowing a large bite of potatoes. "I went to the market this morning to sell the surplus vegetables and I know we've always done business with Mr. Fitzpatrick, but Mr. O'Shea will give us an extra five cents a bushel. And ye usually get your linens from Kennedy's but I can get it for much less than you're paying now."  
  
Sean smiled, his brown eyes twinkling.  
  
Elizabeth paused, noticing his tender expression. "What?"  
  
"You're so much like your mum. Ye would be great at managing a house like this."  
  
The young girl blushed. "I had a good teacher, I guess. Besides, I am the shopping queen. Even Mum's impressed with my ability to find a bargain. Now about the furniture in storage. They should be put out in the living areas. They're such beautiful pieces and in good shape."  
  
"Aye, but the fabric is dingy and torn in many places."  
  
"Well, I could reupholster them. I found this beautiful bolt of silk, high quality at an amazing price. Unfortunately, today was the last day he'd be at the market.so I went ahead and bought it. I know I should have checked with ye first but if ye don't like it, that's okay, I can keep it for myself."  
  
Sean chuckled. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you're very beautiful."  
  
Elizabeth stared at Sean. What did he just say?"  
  
"IT's very beautiful," he corrected. "I'm sure the fabric is very beautiful."  
  
Elizabeth smiled. She noticed Sean's nervous gestures and the slight blush coloring his tan cheeks. She wondered what it could mean.  
  
Sean recovered from his verbal slip and they continued talking about business and other things as time ticked by.  
  
The blood drained from Rhianna's naturally pale face making her skin appear deathly white. Her suddenly dry mouth dropped open and she simply stared at Sheamus incredulously.  
  
"What?" She managed to croak.  
  
"There is something wrong with the shipment." He repeated a little slower at an attempt to calm himself. There was no point in upsetting Rhianna. He went on to explain, as calmly as his racing heart would allow.  
  
"Some of the parts are defective, dangerously so. If our customers were to use them, they'd very likely destroy their machines." He watched her closely as he explained, waiting to see what her reaction would be.  
  
But she just sat there motionless, overcome with shock. Something wrong with the shipment? How could this be? Now? After all their hard work. In her mind's eye she saw her customers flying away like autumn leaves in the wind. And she saw herself chained to an altar, forced to marry a man she didn't love. No. It wasn't going to end like this. Not while they still had a fighting chance.  
  
She inhaled deeply and looked at Sheamus. "How many parts are we talking about?" she asked, her voice ringing with steel.  
  
"If the shipment goes out as is, then every customer will receive at least one case of faulty parts. All told, maybe 100 pieces, maybe more." he replied with a heavy sigh, bitter disappointment flowing over him. They had worked so hard to keep the business from failing - only to have this setback now, of all times.  
  
"Can they be repaired?" Rhianna asked matter of factly.  
  
Sheamus was slightly surprised by her question. He noted with amazement the fiery blaze in her emerald eyes, the firm set to her jaw and her stiff posture. "The defects are too severe. The parts will have to be rebuilt from scratch." He replied with a defeated slump of his broad shoulders.  
  
"Then that's just what we're going to have to do." She replied firmly, standing to her feet and exiting the office. She was halfway down the stairs leading to the machines below when Sheamus caught up to her.  
  
"Ye can't be serious!" his cries echoed loudly in the large empty space of the factory.  
  
"Oh, I'm quite serious, Mr. Brady." Rhianna replied, never once letting up her furious pace toward the machinery.  
  
"We're talking about 100 pieces - two days work for one man. The train will be here in ten hours. There's no way I can replace all these parts by myself." He insisted vehemently.  
  
They had reached the machines for the particular parts that needed replacing. "So who says you're going to do it by yourself?" she asked while grabbing a work smock off a hook on the wall.  
  
Sheamus's blue eyes grew wide as he realized the implications of what she was saying. "Oh no. Ye can NOT be serious!" he cried again, louder this time. Little Rhianna trying to operate one of these huge machines? It was suicide!  
  
Rhianna whirled on Sheamus, her eyes sparking with green fire. "Well, we can't let the pieces go out as they are - our few remaining customers would leave us in a heartbeat. So unless ye have any other suggestions."  
  
"Actually, I do. Delay the shipment. It would only take a few hours to build 100 pieces with our entire crew working. The shipment can go out the next day. What's one day's delay?" Sheamus argued. Sure a delay wouldn't be the best way to impress their customers, but it was hardly the catastrophe that Rhianna made it out to be.  
  
"Aye, except tomorrow's Saturday and all the workers are off." She shot back hotly. "Even if we could get everyone in here to work, ye know the trains run on a fixed schedule and only come by twice a week. The earliest the parts could go out is Wednesday, a delay of four days! Not even our most forgiving customer would stay with us after that. The parts either go out tomorrow morning, or not at all." Rhianna stated with a firm finality as she tied her long red hair back with a green silk ribbon.  
  
Sheamus racked his brain for a solid argument. "Well, we wouldn't have to delay all the shipments. Look, we replace the bad parts with good ones from the smaller shipments. This way we fill the orders for our larger, more important customers and delay the orders for our smaller clients. Not a perfect solution, certainly, but it's the only one we've got." He responded earnestly while gripping Rhianna's tense shoulders. She looked up then, their eyes locking, blue and green. Sheamus could see the fierce determination in her eyes, determination and desperation.  
  
"We can't afford to lose even one customer." She stated softly, blinking back sudden tears. "I can't lose this business. My da gave it to me and it's all I have left of him. I can't lose it. I won't." She said firmly, wiping away the hot tears that had fallen down her cheeks. She quickly looked away from his piercing gaze; unnerved by the emotions the simple contact had stirred in her. Now was not the time for romantic self- contemplation. They had work to do.  
  
She brusquely walked over to the nearest machine, and after studying it for a moment, turned it on. The mechanical monster immediately roared to life, startling her. But she didn't let its intimidating size deter her from her task. She set her shoulders and rolled up her sleeves.  
  
Suddenly, though, she was whirled around by a rough pull on her arm. She looked down in surprise at where Sheamus firmly gripped her forearm - electric tingles shooting through her body at his touch. If he was similarly affected by their close contact, then he didn't show it. Sheamus stood in front of her, his face a mixture of anger, respect and fear. "I won't let ye do this." He gritted out through clenched teeth, his blue eyes blazing.  
  
Rhianna stared at him dumbfounded. She wrenched her arm free from his grasp, but didn't step away from him. She then drew herself up to her full height and replied with a regal air that only comes from being born of nobility. "Excuse me?" she asked haughtily with a raised eyebrow. "Ye won't let ME?"  
  
"Dammit!" he bellowed at her, while taking a step closer to her. Their bodies were separated by a mere inch. "This isn't some game you're playing at, little girl. People die on these machines! I am not about to let a little slip of a girl like yourself operate a man's machine."  
  
Rhianna tossed her long red hair and laughed, unfazed by his loud blustering. "Och, so tis a man's job now is it?" She challenged, crossing her arms over her heaving chest.  
  
They stood for a moment, eyes locked in a death grip of anger, fire and passion, faces flushed from the fire that raged through them.  
  
Sheamus rolled his eyes as he tried to calm his racing heart. This was getting them nowhere. "Look, even if ye were to help me build the parts, there's still the job of finishing them. The two of us are never going to replace all these parts in time."  
  
Rhianna smiled suddenly as an idea took root in her head. She sprinted out the factory calling out behind her, "Just get started! I'll be right back!"  
  
Rhianna spurred the beautiful chestnut brown horse into a gallop. "Come on, Bright Eyes, faster!" She flew through the rolling fields on the way to the castle. She had borrowed the horse from a good friend and neighbor, so she could get to the castle quickly. Minutes later, she was there, dismounting before the horse could come to a stop.  
  
"Sean!" she called loudly as she raced into the castle. She found her brother eating dinner with Elizabeth in the dining room.  
  
"Sean, I need ye and Elizabeth to take the carriage and come quick to the factory. I don't have time to explain, I'm leaving now. Just follow after me!" and as quickly as she had come, she was gone.  
  
Very shortly, Sean, Elizabeth, and Rhianna were all in the factory helping Sheamus. He had quickly shown Sean how to operate the machine and then gone back to his own work. He was pleasantly surprised at how quickly Sean caught on. The girls helped with the grueling task of finishing the pieces and preparing them for shipment. It was rough, strenuous labor, but Rhianna impressed him with her strength and willingness to get dirty. Sheamus watched as Rhianna tucked back a stray strand of limp hair with a grimy hand and felt respect and admiration for the young girl. He chuckled softly and shook his head, bringing his attention back on his job.  
  
Many long, painful hours later the four stopped and admired their handiwork. They looked at the neatly stacked crates and smiled with pride. They had done it. Somehow, they had done it. And with little time to spare.  
  
They waited tiredly for the train, each of them wanting to be sure that the parts were safely loaded and on their way before giving in to their bodies' demand for rest. Finally all the parts were loaded and the train gone. Rhianna felt such a rush of relief and joy wash over her. It worked! Their first shipment was on its way to their customers. She was overcome with such pride and happiness that she fairly leaped into Sheamus's strong arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him exuberantly on his stunned lips. She then leaped down and went to joyously hug her brother.  
  
Sheamus watched as she celebrated her joy with her brother and Elizabeth. He felt overcome by nameless emotions that he had never felt before. He reached up and traced his lips with his fingers, still feeling the tingling burn from her searing kiss. He watched her face light up with her beautiful smile and felt his heart wrench with unknown emotion. {Come on, Sheamus. Ye're losin it. Don't fall for her. You're playing a dangerous game to win her heart and her factory. Ye can't afford to fall in love.} He chastised himself severely for even allowing himself to feel anything toward Rhianna. He then quickly shuttered himself and his emotions, once again locking them up tight.  
  
He turned to where Rhianna stood embracing her brother. He looked at her, careful to keep his expression and his voice neutral. "If we're done here, I'm going home. See you Monday." And he turned to leave.  
  
"Wait!" she called after him.  
  
He turned around casually. "Yes?"  
  
"Will you come to dinner tonight? To celebrate the success of our first shipment? And of course Elizabeth's invited to." She asked him, her large green eyes almost pleading with him to accept.  
  
He smiled internally. {Perfect.}  
  
"What time?" 


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten  
  
"Do ye need anything else Mum, before we go?" Elizabeth asked her bed- ridden mother.  
  
Mrs. Brady stifled a cough and smiled weakly at her precious daughter. "No thank ye sweetie. I'll be fine. Ye go on now."  
  
Sheamus bent down and gently kissed her warm forehead. Try as he might, he could not keep the concern from shining in his blue eyes. "Okay. We'll be back soon." He said and then with one last worried glance back at their mother, they left the small cottage.  
  
A carriage from the castle was waiting for them. They loaded up the dishes of food and entered the carriage. Sheamus pulled at the stiff collar of his starched dress shirt. Why was it that the nicest clothing he owned was also the most uncomfortable? "I don't see why we have to go to this stupid thing." He grumbled angrily as he shrugged uncomfortably in his wool suit. "Like we don't see enough of these people." He added lowly.  
  
Elizabeth shot a sidelong glance at her big brother. "Ye have been cranky ever since this afternoon. What's the matter, did baby not get enough sleep?" she teased.  
  
"No, I didn't. After working all day yesterday and all last night, Aye, I'm a little tired."  
  
"Hello? Where d'ye think I was? Right there with ye last night - working just as hard, I'll wager."  
  
"My point exactly." Sheamus replied. "After all the hard work we've been doing for them, they invite us over to dinner, but guess who's doing the cooking?" his sarcastic remark hung in the cool evening air.  
  
"I don't mind cooking." Elizabeth said sweetly.  
  
But Sheamus continued his little rant. "It's like, 'You're cordially invited to dinner at the great Cassidy Castle, oh and by the way, you're doing the cooking.' As if ye don't do enough work there during the week." He added bitterly.  
  
"I don't mind." Elizabeth insisted with a smile. "I like working for Sean."  
  
Sheamus stopped short suddenly and looked at his sister, not missing the dreamy smile on her face. "Sean? Not Lord Cassidy? Ye call him by his Christian name?"  
  
Elizabeth simply shrugged. "He doesn't want to be called by his title. Makes him sound like an old man. He calls me by my Christian name." She explained, her expression questioning. What was wrong with her brother now?  
  
"Of course he does." He mumbled angrily.  
  
Elizabeth rolled her blue eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Sheamus sighed deeply and addressed his little sister the way an adult would talk to a small child. "LizzyB, ye're young, innocent. There's a great deal that ye don't know. Men of nobility like Lord Cassidy are always the same. Treat their young female servants kindly and with sweet words and while the girls are thinking of love and marriage, the lords are thinking of a quick dalliance with a mere servant."  
  
Elizabeth stared at her brother incredulously. "Are ye finished? I'm innocent? Like ye're so wise'n worldly. Do I have t' remind ye that Sean is just a little older than me, some would still consider him t' be a boy."  
  
"Aye, well I know what 'boys' his age think about." Sheamus replied firmly.  
  
She just smiled wickedly at her big brother. "Is it anything like what ye think about?" she asked innocently.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I seem t' remember hearing a certain someone moaning in his sleep a few nights ago."  
  
A faint blush crawled over Sheamus's cheeks. "I don't know what ye're talking about."  
  
"Oh, Rhianna!" Elizabeth moaned loudly to her brother's dismay. She laughed to see his blush deepen to a deep crimson hue.  
  
Sheamus fought to recover his composure. "Anyway, I will be keeping an eye on Sean tonight. If he so much as looks at you the wrong way, I'll."  
  
"Oh please. Ye'll be too busy looking at Rhianna the 'wrong way' to pay any attention to Sean." Elizabeth laughingly teased.  
  
"Let's just get this over with." He grumbled sourly.  
  
"What is with ye? Ye wanted to go this morning."  
  
"That was this morning." He replied, deep in thought. A great deal had changed since that morning. That afternoon Sheamus had met up with a good friend of his, James, for a pint at the pub. They were meeting in celebration of Sheamus's promotion. As they laughed and talked Sheamus confided in his friend his plans to marry Rhianna and gain the factory.  
  
James nearly spit out the beer in his mouth. "Ye're joking!" he cried with a loud laugh. "That's a good one, Shea."  
  
Sheamus just looked at his friend. "What?"  
  
"Shea, Lady Cassidy is the most eligible girl in all of Ireland. There isn't a red blooded man in this town who wouldn't like to marry her. Not only is she a beauty but there's the castle and factory t' boot. There's just one problem - she's nobility. As in of noble blood. Ladies like her only marry men with titles or men with money. Usually both. Ye my friend, have neither."  
  
The grin on Sheamus's face vanished in the light of James's words. His friend continued.  
  
"What makes ye think that she would ever marry someone like ye? Ye have nothing to offer her. Even if by some miracle she were to fall in love with ye she still wouldn't marry ye. Tis a well known fact that the Cassidy fortune is all but gone; the estate is falling into ruin and the factory is barely managing to stay afloat. They need money and a lot of it. Besides," he finished with a laugh, "your whole plan is moot. I hear Lady Cassidy is betrothed."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's already been promised to someone. Her father arranged it. Some wealthy industrialist, I believe. The bans were read a few months back. Ye'd know that if ye ever bothered to go to church."  
  
Sheamus quietly soaked in the new information. {That must be the suitor she spoke of then. I wonder who he is.}  
  
James noticed the dejected slump of his friend's shoulders. "Look, don't feel bad. Believe me you're better off. I wouldn't get involved with that family for all the money and factories in Ireland."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"They're cursed!"  
  
"Oh not ye too! What is it about the Cassidys that has half of Dublin spooked?" Sheamus asked as he took a deep swig of ale.  
  
"Well, I don't know - maybe it's because they're so close to Banshee Forest. Ye know their estate used to be part of the forest until they cleared it out for Cassidy Keep. I guess people still remember the old legends about that place."  
  
"Ye mean about wailing spirits that bring death and doom?" Sheamus snorted.  
  
"Hey, ye've got to admit the Cassidys have seen more than their share of tragedy."  
  
Sheamus thought about his friend's advice during the ride to the castle. {James is right, Rhianna is from a completely different class.} He couldn't believe that he had managed to forget that. {Girls like her don't marry men like me.}  
  
He paused and wondered why the thought made him so sad. Surely he didn't actually care for Rhianna. No, he just wanted her dowry. {People have married beneath their class before. Why can't it happen again? If this is an arranged match, then she probably doesn't love her betrothed. If I can make her fall in love with me, then her heart would overrule her head and.} His mood lifted with this new plan and he silently urged the carriage to go faster.  
"Wow."  
  
"Aye, I had the same reaction when I first saw it. It's funny, ye can't really tell how big the castle is from the front. It isn't until ye step inside that ye get an idea of how enormous it is. And this is just a small portion of it. They've closed off the rest of it and live in this one wing."  
  
Sheamus gaped openmouthed at the large drawing room he was in. He was pretty sure his entire house could fit in this one room. {And this is just a small part of the castle.} His amazed eyes traveled slowly around the room. He took in the richly upholstered antique furniture, the fine tapestries that hung on the stone walls, the brightly polished silver serving set that sat on a side table. There was more money in this one room than he'd ever see in his entire life. His friend's words echoed in his mind. {Two different worlds. No. Don't think of the obstacles, just think of the goal.}  
  
His eyes fell on a larger than life portrait of the late Lord Cassidy that hung above the fireplace. The painted face seemed to scowl down on him, sneering at him as if to say, 'Ye're not good enough for my daughter. She's going to marry someone of wealth and power, not the poor son of a dead employee.' Harsh imaginary laughter rang in his head and for a moment he felt ashamed of who he was and where he came from . But the shame was fleeting and vanished to be replaced by an even stronger resolve. Sheamus shot an irreverent smirk at the portrait and continued his study of the room.  
  
A noise on the far side of the room caught his attention. He turned to see the doors open as Rhianna entered the room. Sheamus's heart actually skipped a beat and he felt the blood leave his face. So stunned was he by her beauty.  
  
Rhianna wore a long fitted gown of rich green velvet. The bodice was cut tight around her chest and the off the shoulder sleeves revealed a good amount of her creamy skin. Her red gold hair fell in waves down her back, contrasting her milky skin. And as always her bright green eyes stood out on her face, captivating him, drawing him to her.  
  
Rhianna smiled welcome to her guests. Sheamus shook himself out of his stupor and put his plan into motion. {Just think about charming the girls at the pub. She's no different from any of them.}  
  
He stepped forward and gave her his most dazzling smile and took her hand. "Lady Cassidy, ye're looking very lovely this evening." He bent forward and placed a light kiss on her knuckles. He was unprepared for the electric surge that rocketed through him at the touch.  
  
Rhianna appeared slightly confused as she withdrew her hand from his grasp. "Thank ye, Mr. Brady. That's a very nice suit. Ye look.almost civilized." She remarked with a small smirk.  
  
"Well, I try."  
  
Rhianna turned her attention to Elizabeth. She hugged the girl and kissed her cheek. "Elizabeth! I'm so glad ye could come. Ye look lovely - that's a nice color on ye."  
  
"Thank ye, Rhianna. I love your dress! The fabric is so nice." Elizabeth chattered.  
  
Rhianna laughed at the girl's infectious enthusiasm. "A girl after my own heart! We'll have to go shopping together some time."  
  
"That sounds great! I'll show you the best places to go for your money. I'm the best at bargain hunting."  
  
"That's true." Sheamus cut in. "No one stretches a penny like my dear sister." He placed his arm around Elizabeth and hugged her tightly, causing the girl to frown in confusion.  
  
"Are ye feeling okay?" she asked.  
  
"What? Can't I show my baby sister how much I love her?" he inquired innocently.  
  
Rhianna observed the interchange with narrowed eyes. Sheamus seemed to be acting so strangely. {Normally he would've called me names and we'd be fighting by now. What's he up to?}  
  
"Well, let me welcome ye to my home. I'm so glad ye could make it. I wanted to thank ye both for your hard work last night. Ye really saved the day. My brother Sean will be with us shortly. He was called away on estate business. Until then we'll just make ourselves comfortable." Rhianna poured glasses of wine and they sat down by the roaring fire. Sheamus squeezed into a tight spot beside Rhianna.  
  
"This is a lovely.home ye have here, Lady Cassidy." He complimented, his voice oozing charm.  
  
".Thank ye. It needs a great deal of work I'm afraid. It's all Sean and Mr. Callahan can do just to maintain it. Ye should have seen it before."  
  
Sheamus caught the dreamy expression in her emerald eyes. "Ye really love the place, don't ye?"  
  
"Aye. How can I not? It's my home. I love it like it's a part of me. But as much as I love the castle, my heart lies with the factory."  
  
Sheamus smiled at the expression on her face. "Then we have something in common."  
  
Rhianna smiled then and their eyes locked. Elizabeth watched with interest the looks they gave each other. {He's not interested in her. Right.}  
  
Sean heavily sank down into his chair at the end of the dining table. "I apologize for my tardiness. I was busy checking on The Ladies." He said breathlessly as he placed his linen napkin in his lap.  
  
The two guests murmured that it was quite all right. Sheamus took in Sean's casual dress and swallowed his biting comment. {I have to wear my $##$%#@ Easter suit, yet the Lord of the Manor can come to the table wearing flannel and denim breeches. Typical.}  
  
Sean's gaze fell on Elizabeth who sat on his right. She was dressed in a beautiful off the shoulder gown of deep royal blue. Her shoulders seemed so satiny smooth and inviting. He wanted to run her fingers along her skin. Her hair was pulled up on her head and long curls danced down her back. Her blue eyes sparkled and her porcelain cheeks had a rosy glow. Her lips were especially red and full that evening. Sean's mouth fell open in astonishment.  
  
"Wow, Elizabeth.Ye look beautiful."  
  
Elizabeth smiled and playfully batted her lashes. "Thank ye. Ye do too. I mean, ye look very handsome."  
  
Sean chuckled. Sheamus observed the interplay with narrowed eyes. He saw the adoring glow on his sister's face. He heard the flirtation in Sean's voice.  
  
"Elizabeth, this looks delicious!" Sean praised to the girl's delight.  
  
"Aye," Rhianna agreed, "And thank ye again for cooking. I would've tried to make something but I've been banned from the kitchen." She related with a smile. "If ye ask me though, they're all over reacting."  
  
"Over reacting?! The kitchen was on fire! Ye made stone burn!" Sean replied.  
  
Sheamus smiled and glanced at Rhianna. The idea of her in a kitchen trying to cook was strangely arousing. {I wonder what she would look like in an apron. And nothing else.} He stared at the silky smooth skin of her neck and envisioned himself caressing the smooth contours, inhaling her sweet fragrance, trailing sweet kisses along her collarbone.  
  
"Do ye need something, Mr. Brady?"  
  
Sheamus glanced up to see Rhianna staring back at him, her eyes reflecting brightly with some unknown emotion.  
  
"Um, pass the salt, please." He stammered. As he took the silver shaker from her hand their fingertips lightly brushed against each other. He drew a sharp intake of breath at the electrifying contact and glanced at her to see if she had been affected.  
  
But Rhianna simply stared down at her plate, her dark eyelashes contrasting sharply against her fair skin. She finally looked up and smiled hesitantly at Sheamus and then turned her attention to her brother.  
  
"And how are The Ladies doing?" She asked as she took a bite of the stewed potatoes.  
  
"Och, they're fine. I was just dropping off their food and supplies for the week." Sean caught the confused expressions of their guests. "Mrs. Ceannt and Mrs. Plunkett are poor widows whose only sons were killed in 1916." He explained.  
  
Sheamus furrowed his brow, thankful for the chance to get his mind off of the ravishing creature to his right. {1916?} "Ah, the uprising?"  
  
"Aye. Our father was an underground supporter and member of the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood) - In fact I remember him holding many late night meetings here. All the great leaders were here at some time or other, most notably Padraic Pearse. And others including The Ladies' sons. When they were executed, the poor widows were left with no one to care for them. So our father moved them into some old cottages on our land. We provide them with the food and supplies they need. They've been here so long, they're like family to us." Sean explained.  
  
"What a wonderful story!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "What a nice thing for ye to do!" she gazed at Sean with admiration in her blue eyes.  
  
Sheamus frowned as he caught the continued looks between his sister and her employer. He could tell that Elizabeth already had a sizeable crush on Sean. And he didn't like it. "Aye, Lord Cassidy was QUITE generous." Sheamus replied blandly, his statement ringing with a cynicism remembering the drunken gambler who made others do his work for him while he grew rich from their profits. Plus, he'd never really gotten over his father's death and blamed the late Lord for the poor working conditions at the factory.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rhianna asked.  
  
"Oh, I was just agreeing with my sister." Sheamus answered innocently. "Why, what did ye think I meant?"  
  
Rhianna stared at him for a moment as if trying to read his mind. "Never mind."  
  
The rest of the dinner passed with relative ease. Elizabeth and Rhianna made polite conversation about benign topics such as the weather, mutual friends and ladies' fashion. Sean groaned from his position at the table. He smiled and winked at Elizabeth. "Please don't get Ree talking about shopping. No one knows more about spending money than she." He said, his warm brown eyes twinkling.  
  
"Speaking of money, I want to congratulate ye, Lady Cassidy," Sheamus spoke up.  
  
"On what?"  
  
"On your engagement. I understand your betrothed is fairly wealthy." Sheamus smiled inwardly at the sudden frosty tension at the table. He watched the color flee from her face at the reminder of the engagement. And even Sean seemed none too pleased. {Hmm, doesn't appear to be a happy union. I wonder who it is.} "I'm sorry, is this not a pleasant topic?" he asked innocently.  
  
Rhianna struggled for composure. "Nae, it's fine. Aye, I'm engaged. Thank ye for your kindness."  
  
"May I ask who the lucky man is?"  
  
She paused just noticeably. "Mr. Alexander Dimera." She answered simply.  
  
{Dimera! He's our chief rival! What could she be thinking? Wait, Lord Cassidy arranged the match. Still , even in his drunken stupor I can't believe that he would promise his daughter and his company to the likes of Alexander Dimera.} Sheamus remembered suddenly the funeral and seeing Dimera and Rhianna together. He had wondered why the man was even there and had chalked it up to professional courtesy. He remembered how Rhianna had seemed around him. {Definitely not a happy union. I just might have a shot at this.}  
  
"When's the happy day?"  
  
"The marriage will take place on my 17th birthday, little less than a year from now." Rhianna paused. "And if ye don't mind, I'd really rather not talk about it."  
  
Once again there was an uneasy silence at the table. Sean cleared his throat and turned to his sister. "Perhaps some after dinner music is in order?" he turned his attention to their guests. "Rhianna has a very lovely voice, ye may have heard her sing in church. She even trained in England for a summer at a very prestigious school there." Sean told them, eager for a chance to brag about his twin sister. "Everyone says she sounds like an angel come to earth."  
  
"Sean." Rhianna moaned, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I'm sure they don't want to hear all about my singing." She felt slightly mortified at being praised by her brother in front of Sheamus. She knew that the insufferable lout was just waiting for another opportunity to insult her.  
  
"Oh no, please your Ladyship. I would like to hear this angelic voice of yours." He challenged.  
  
Rhianna narrowed her flashing green eyes. "Ye can hear my 'angelic voice' tomorrow morning at Mass." She smiled coldly at him.  
  
"Oh I don't go to church."  
  
"There's a shocker." She shot back sarcastically.  
  
But Sheamus simply smiled that infuriating, teasing grin of his. He raised his blond eyebrows in question. "Well, Lady Cassidy? I'm waiting for you to grace us with your heavenly voice."  
  
"Fine." She answered proudly. She could never resist a challenge. She took her position at the piano in the drawing room as the others gathered around, settling themselves on the nice furniture. She smiled inwardly as she made her selection. {I'm going to wipe that obnoxious smirk off his face.}  
  
She straightened her posture and closed her eyes as she began to sing. She had chosen a difficult classical song. Her pure, strong voice rose and filled the room and everyone present agreed that it was heavenly.  
  
Even Sheamus. Yet, despite his untrained ear he could tell that she was holding back. She wasn't singing with everything she was capable of. While the voice had been perfect, it had seemed to him that the heart of the song was missing. It was soulless.  
  
She cocked an eyebrow in Sheamus's direction. "Well?" she prompted.  
  
He shrugged casually. "It was nice."  
  
"Nice?!"  
  
Elizabeth motioned to Sean. "I think we should leave them alone." Sean was reluctant to leave his sister but Elizabeth reassured him. "It's just something they need to get out of their systems." She said and fairly dragged him out onto the adjoining balcony.  
  
"Wow, those two certainly are.something." Elizabeth commented with mild embarrassment over her brother's behavior.  
  
"Aye, a regular match made in hell," Sean agreed dryly. He noticed Elizabeth shivering from the chilly spring evening. He took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.  
  
Elizabeth stood quietly looking out over the balcony railing. She appeared to be calm on the surface as she gazed at the estate's rolling hills, but inside was turmoil. Just the sweet, simple act of placing his jacket on her had caused her knees to shake and her stomach quiver. And when he looked at her with those warm brown eyes that seemed to smolder, she was lost. She had never felt this way before. Had never thought the things Sean made her think. She found herself noticing things, like the way his tight denim breeches hugged his body, the way sunlight bounced off his tanned body when he worked outside, the way the sweat ran down the hills of his muscles. Even now as he stood beside her on the balcony she found herself noticing the way he smelled; like earth and sweat and soap. Intoxicating.  
  
Sean looked up at the brilliant white moon that hung against the purple backdrop of the evening sky. "Beautiful," he murmured, bringing Elizabeth out of her reverie. She looked at him in question. "The sky, I mean. It's beautiful."  
  
Elizabeth looked up at the moon. Sean looked at her face, watched her face light up with the beauty before them. The moon light radiated off her skin, making it glow. She glimmered with ethereal beauty.  
  
Sean racked his mind for something to say. funny, he had never had any problem talking to girls before. {Of course, Elizabeth is no ordinary girl,} he realized. His eye fell on the shiny fabric of her dress. "That's a lovely dress."  
  
Elizabeth turned away from her sky gazing. "Thank ye. My mum made this for me for my last birthday. It's imported silk. Cost a pretty penny, but Mum likes to spoil me when she can. I only hope one day I can sew as well as she can."  
  
He noticed the dreamy expression that cam over her face. "Is that an aspiration of yours, to be a seamstress?"  
  
"Not only that. I just want to be a mother and a wife. I know it's kind of old fashioned. Women in America and Europe are smoking and cutting their hair and proclaiming their independence. (Story takes place during the roaring '20's) Even here in Ireland women are taking more liberties. Your sister is running a business, something she wouldn't have been able to do ten years ago. But when I think about what makes me happy, that's it. Running a house and raising children of my own. I don't know, maybe it sounds silly."  
  
"No, it sounds perfect. There's something so.freeing about living a simple life; of living off the land. There's nothing I'd rather be doing than running the estate. There's something about working with your hands, getting your fingers dirty in the rich soil of your won lands. I guess I'm the one who sounds silly now."  
  
"I understand what ye men. This is a lovely estate - I just love it here. Ye must be very happy."  
  
Sean looked at her, amazed to have found someone who shared his passions. He gazed at her sparkling blue eyes. "Now I am."  
"Nice? Ye think ye can do better?" Rhianna questioned hotly.  
  
"Oh, I know I can."  
  
"Prove it."  
  
Sheamus grinned and winked at her. "Another time, Lady Cassidy." Why did he love to fight with her so much? It was going to make winning her heart difficult. But maybe this was better - by appealing to her baser emotions. Her anger, pride, passion.  
  
"So in your 'expert' opinion, what was wrong with it?"  
  
He shrugged again. "Look, Lady Cassidy. I don't want to start an argument. It was nice, really. Beautiful."  
  
"But ye think there was something wrong with my singing." She persisted.  
  
"Not so much your singing. It was very nearly perfect. It was the performance that was lacking."  
  
"Lacking what?"  
  
"Soul." He said simply.  
  
"Soul?" Rhianna questioned loudly.  
  
"Yes. Soul. Emotion, heart, life. Passion." He explained.  
  
Rhianna floundered, searching her mind for a retort. "And what do ye know about passion?" she demanded hotly her eyes ablaze.  
  
"I know it when I see it. And when I don't." He replied, his eyes flickering briefly over her figure. "But don't ask me about passion. I'm sure your fiancé will teach ye all you need to know about that." He said with a mocking smile.  
  
Rhianna's blood froze into rivers of ice in her veins. "What do ye know about my betrothed?" she asked icily.  
  
"Nothing. I'm sure the two of ye will be very happy together."  
  
He reached out and gently grabbed her chin that trembled with rage and desire. He tilted her head back and studied her face for many long, agonizing seconds. "Very happy indeed." He whispered softly. She blinked back sudden tears. His eyes flickered briefly but before she could name the emotion that flared in his blue depths, they were shuttered again. He released his hold on her and turned away.  
  
"See you around, Lady Cassidy." He called as he left the room. 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
Rhianna moaned and rolled over in her bed, her red hair spilling over her pillow. She was trapped in a dream that had no end, and strangely enough, she didn't seem to mind.  
  
"Soul?" She questioned, feeling her temper rise due to the mocking man before her.  
  
"Yes. Soul. Emotion, heart, life. Passion." The tall muscular man explained, that infuriating smirk of his plastered on his tan face.  
  
"And what do ye know about passion?" she asked breathlessly, her heart beginning to race. She felt so hot, and a thin film of sweat glistened on her neck and chest.  
  
"I know it when I see it. And when I don't." He replied, his eyes flickering slowly over her figure. "But don't ask me about passion. I'm sure your fiancé will teach ye all ye need to know about that." His eyes smoldered as he gazed at her. Eternity in a second, and then he took a slow, deliberate step closer to her.  
  
Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up at the man who seemed to tower over her. His suit jacket had disappeared and he wore only a thin dress shirt of cotton, only half buttoned. Her eyes traveled from his beautiful face, down his muscular neck, past his collarbone to the glimpse of sculpted chest barely visible through the gape in his shirt. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly reached out her long slender fingers toward the vision in front of her. She hesitated briefly before brushing her fingertips against his firm flesh. She smiled when his eyes darkened with desire. Her tongue darted out of her mouth and licked her dry lips.  
  
"Why don't ye teach me?" she asked, her voice a husky whisper. No other words were spoken as Sheamus answered by gathering her in a crushing hug. He bent his head and captured her lips with his. His kiss was rough and demanding, but she wanted more. Her lips slipped open and his tongue darted through. A deep moan escaped her lips as a shudder of passion racked her body. He pressed her warm body against the piano and doubled his sweet onslaught. His lips trailed down her neck coming to rest in the curved crook. Rhianna shuddered again from sweet delight as his hands roamed over her soft curves and another sigh escaped her lips.  
  
"What are ye dreaming about?" A loud voice interrupted her dream. Rhianna sleepily reached over and threw a pillow at the offending person.  
  
"Nice aim." Her twin brother joked as the pillow missed him by a good foot. He annoyed her further by crawling into bed with her with more movement than necessary. "Come on, Ree, time t' get up. Time t' get ready for church!" he called cheerfully as he jostled the bed.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes and stared at her brother in disbelief. "How can we be related, let alone twins? Alright, I'm up, now let me get dressed." She told him as she stretched sleepily.  
  
"Okay, I'm leaving, but ye didn't answer my question. What were ye dreamin about? Could it be a Mr. Sheamus Brady?"  
  
Her dream flashed brightly in her vision and she blushed crimson from the memory. What was wrong with her? She'd never even thought such things before, and now she's dreaming about them, about Sheamus of all people?  
  
Sean smiled widely at his sister's blush. "That's what I thought. I hope Father Thomas has time this morning. I think ye need to go to confession." He teased and laughed when Rhianna stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Oh, like ye aren't thinking the same things about Elizabeth!"  
  
His smile was replaced by a scowl. "Times like this I wish we weren't twins."  
  
"Well we are, and even though we USUALLY know each other's feelings, ye are waaaay off if ye think that I like Sheamus. 'Cause I don't. In fact I can't stand the man." She insisted hotly.  
  
"The two needn't be mutually exclusive." Sean replied with a smile.  
  
Elizabeth Brady stepped out of her house and onto the busy village street. Crowds of people milled around dressed in their Sunday finery talking to friends and neighbors. She called out to many as she walked on by on her way to the church. She suddenly though had the feeling that someone was following her. She finally stopped and turned around. She paused and blinked, not believing her eyes.  
  
"What are ye doing?" she asked.  
  
"I'm going to church." Sheamus replied.  
  
She reached up to feel his forehead. "Are ye feeling okay? Ye haven't caught Mum's cold have ye?"  
  
"Ha. Ha." He replied drolly. "I just felt like going, okay?"  
  
"This wouldn't be because of Rhianna, would it?" she asked innocently as she batted her wide blue eyes. "What? No! I'm simply doing it to make Mum happy."  
  
"Okay." {If ye say so.} Elizabeth thought as she laughed silently at her big tough brother. They entered the ornate church and looked around the already packed sanctuary. Elizabeth's attention was drawn up and there she noticed Sean and Rhianna sitting in a separate boxed in pew. Sean immediately saw her and waved at her to join them.  
  
"There are Sean and Rhianna!" she cried as she began to make her way towards them.  
  
Sheamus struggled to catch up to his sister through the thick mingling crowd. "Come on, can't we go through one day without them?" he protested but she was already gone. He stood still for a moment and looked up at the Cassidy family pew where the twins were sitting. He took notice of Rhianna's lovely dress of dark blue and of course, her bright red hair. There was an empty seat to her right and Sean and Elizabeth were seated to her left. {Well, I may as well keep Elizabeth company} he decided with a shrug and moved to sit by Rhianna. He hadn't taken but a few steps though when he saw Mr. Dimera come up to Rhianna's side. They exchanged words that he couldn't hear and then to his horror, Mr. Dimera sat down by her side.  
  
Sheamus stood for a moment watching the two as anger, jealousy and sadness battled for control. He finally chose a pew in the back of the church where he could sit and observe them.  
  
"There's Elizabeth." Sean said to his sister as he motioned for the girl to join them.  
  
Rhianna turned and also began searching the crowd. If she was here then maybe he was too. But a thorough search of the throng of people below them yielded nothing but frustrated disappointment. {That's right, he doesn't go to church.} She reminded herself. She felt a cold presence at her elbow and she looked up to see Mr. Dimera. She fought the urge to cringe and reminded herself that she was going to marry him soon. She might as well get to know him. She smiled at him as she greeted him.  
  
"Good morning, Mr. Dime - Alexander." She corrected. "Would ye care to sit by me?" she asked, indicating the vacant seat beside her.  
  
"Thank you Rhianna, and good morning to you also." He greeted her as he took his seat.  
  
Rhianna nervously racked her brain for something to say. "I've never seen ye in church before, Alexander. Are ye a God fearing man?" she asked him directly; she hadn't missed how his glittering eyes had slowly traveled over her body. She was rewarded when he choked on her question.  
  
He chuckled lightly. "I ah, haven't been to church since my youth. But I know how important it is to you, with good reason, and I decided that it was past time that I came back to the "fold" as it were. After all, we will be married here." He replied with a greedy smile. He was proud of his answer; he had managed to completely skirt the question of his faith, or lack thereof. His attending the church was simply a means to an end. He knew that Rhianna's faith was very important to her; she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her standing in the church. If her priest told her to do something, she would do it. He smiled to himself. {It's time I made friends with the priest.} He turned his attention back to the lovely girl at his side.  
  
"Speaking of marriage." he began his familiar refrain.  
  
She bit her lip at the mention of the dreaded topic. "Ye're so kind, but I'm really not ready yet." She smiled hesitantly, hoping he would understand.  
  
"Don't worry, dear child, when you're ready." He replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his cold black eyes. "So, how are things at the factory?" he questioned. He observed her closely, looking for some sign of the stress she must be feeling due to her failed shipment.  
  
"It is very well, thank ye for asking." She replied simply.  
  
He frowned slightly. "No.problems?" he asked directly.  
  
"Well, we did have a near disaster this weekend, but we resolved it."  
  
"Really? May I ask what happened?" he asked intently, his eyes boring into hers. {They made the shipment? How?}  
  
"Now Alexander, need I remind you that we are competitors?"  
  
He grasped her hands firmly in his. "I assure you my dear, that even though that may be the case, I am still here for you, for whatever you need. Our companies will be united as one, one day as we will be. What hurts you, hurts me."  
  
She sighed and acquiesced to his wishes. He was right, after all. "Well, as I said, we resolved it. Basically as we were getting ready for our first shipment, we found that many of the pieces were defective and so we had to replace them. Nothing major, Alexander."  
  
He gazed at her thoughtfully. "And who discovered the defective parts, your quality control inspectors?"  
  
"Strangely enough, they missed it. No, the person who found it was someone else entirely. He's been helping me a great deal at the factory; he's even taken over sales. Anyway, he had just decided to check the parts one last time before shipment and that's how he found the errors. He really saved us." Rhianna murmured, her eyes losing focus as she thought of Sheamus. Her dream flashed briefly in her mind and a faint blush crawled up her face.  
  
It didn't go unnoticed by Alexander. {She must be talking about Sheamus Brady. He is becoming a sizeable thorn in my side. He must be eliminated.}  
  
Sean looked over at Elizabeth. "Ye look very lovely today." He smiled when she blushed becomingly.  
  
"Thank ye. It's just a simple smock, something I made myself." She replied modestly, feeling a little ashamed of her simple attire. She looked at Rhianna's amazing dress and realized again how different their lives were.  
  
"Well, it's lovely, and ye look lovely in it." Sean said sincerely. His warm brown eyes twinkled as he gazed at her lovely face.  
  
Elizabeth blushed deeper, unsure of how to respond to the attention he gave her. She was still reeling from their wonderful conversation on the balcony last night. She found herself really beginning to care for Sean and this scared her. she knew it would never work between them. He was a nobleman and she just his maid. "I, I wanted to apologize for my brother's behavior last night. He's not usually like that."  
  
But Sean shushed her explanation. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure he was just tired. Rhianna tells me that he puts in a lot of long hours at the factory."  
  
"He does. I rarely see him anymore." She paused and a small smile flitted across her face. "I think he likes your sister." She commented with a wicked grin.  
  
Sean absorbed the information thoughtfully. It certainly seemed to agree with his own observations of Sheamus's bizarre behavior last night. Then he too smiled, remembering Rhianna's embarrassment this morning after having been woken from an intense dream. "I think Rhianna feels the same way. I wonder if they'll ever figure it out."  
  
Elizabeth laughed. "Before they kill each other?" Sean joined in, loving the sound of her laughter. There were many things he was starting to love about the girl, despite having only known her for a few days. Their personalities were just so well suited to each other, that it felt like they had always known each other.  
  
As he was thinking this, he caught a glimpse of Alexander Dimera sitting next to Rhianna. His stomach twisted in a hard knot with the sudden reminder of Rhianna's impending marriage. He remembered his vow to prevent it, and also his plan to wed Miss Lockeheart. He looked back at lovely Elizabeth and his heart wrenched with sadness as he realized what he had to do.  
  
Sheamus watched Rhianna and her fiancé as they shared a seemingly pleasant conversation. He closely observed Rhianna's behavior, looking for some sign of her feelings for Mr. Dimera. He was lost; overwhelmed by emotions he'd never felt before. Jealousy? That was new to him. Everything in his life that he had ever wanted, he went after it, overcoming any obstacle in his path until he had succeeded. {So what's different now?} he asked himself. {I don't care about the girl.} he reminded himself. {She's just a means to an end.}  
  
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he did not notice the beginning of the service. Nor did he notice Rhianna leave her seat to go to the front of the church. He was just suddenly aware of a beautiful, heavenly voice floating in the cathedral and he knew without looking that it belonged to her. He gazed at her with such primal, intense longing as she sang a song of death and rebirth; her voice seemed to move straight through him, straight to the heart.  
  
But just as her song was beginning to speak to him, he shut down the connection and threw back up his defenses. He glanced back at the Cassidy pew where Mr. Dimera was sitting and observed his reaction to Rhianna's singing. Even from where he sat, Sheamus could see the vivid lust and desire in the older man's dark eyes, and he was filled with anger and an urgent desire to protect Rhianna from Alexander's dark intentions.  
  
Mr. Dimera sensed his gaze and looked at him and for a moment their eyes locked as they dueled mentally. Sheamus stared into the coal black eyes and felt a cold chill run up his spine. He shuddered despite himself, feeling like he had just stared into the eyes of the devil.  
  
Sheamus turned his attention back to where Rhianna was reaching the song's climax. Her voice rose and hovered in the air and he suddenly had a vision of her as a beautiful bird singing a passionate song while trapped inside a cage. He vowed to free her, to break her engagement. {Ye're not going to get her Dimera. I promise ye that.} 


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve  
  
"Ye wanted to see me sir?"  
  
Alexander Dimera looked up from the newspaper. "Ah, Mr. Flaherty. Please, have a seat."  
  
Brian sat down uneasily in a large leather chair.  
  
"So, how did it go Friday?" Alexander asked casually.  
  
Brian shrugged. "No problems. I damaged several cases of parts, per your orders. Nothing t' do now but sit back and watch their customers leave."  
  
Alexander gifted the foreman with a frosty smile. "Unfortunately that is not the case. The parts were discovered, by Mr. Sheamus Brady no less. Not only were the parts repaired, but they also went out on schedule."  
  
The foreman paled noticeably. "How - how did this happen? How did he discover the parts? They were boxed up with the others?" Brian stammered.  
  
"That's for you to find out. This makes twice now that Mr. Brady has interfered in my plans. I want him removed from the factory."  
  
"I can't fire him; Rhianna would have a fit."  
  
"Then you must make her fire him."  
  
"How do I do that?"  
  
Alexander smiled coldly. "Rhianna.cares for you, doesn't she?"  
  
Brian paled even further. "We're just friends, sir. There's nothing going on between us."  
  
"Relax, Mr. Flaherty. Trust me, if that upset me, you would have already known my displeasure."  
  
Brian swallowed the lump in his throat. "Aye sir."  
  
"Rhianna is young, innocent. I think we can use this little 'crush' of hers to my advantage."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"I want you to woo her, charm her, court her until she's hopelessly in love with you. And then, when she's given you her heart, you will crush it. And then when she's heartbroken and devastated, the girl will come running to me."  
  
The foreman nodded his head as the plan became clear. "I see. Very devious plan, sir. But may I ask a question? Ye seem to be putting a lot of effort into this plan; why? You're going to be married; you've already won her."  
  
"I have won her hand, but not her heart. I don't want to marry her and have her pine away for some lost love. I will if I have to - nothing will keep me from claiming my bride. I would just rather that she belong to me, completely. The sooner, the better. That's where you come in. You will fulfill her teenage visions of love and romance, and then you will shatter them. Leaving her disillusioned and vulnerable to me."  
  
"I understand sir."  
  
"Good. And understand this. There is no room in my plan for Sheamus Brady. Do what you have to."  
  
Later that morning. The foreman's eyes bulged visibly from their sockets. "How many?" he stammered as the color fled from his face.  
  
"Around a hundred." Rhianna repeated calmly. "Maybe more."  
  
It was Monday morning in the offices of Cassidy Industries. In the factory below workers were preparing for a new day and already the droning whine of machinery could be heard.  
  
Brian Flaherty sat quietly at his desk for a moment while he struggled to absorb the news Rhianna had just given him. He had only walked in the door minutes earlier and hadn't even had a chance to enjoy his morning cup of coffee when Rhianna stunned him with the news of this weekend's near disaster.  
  
He shook his head in disbelief. "No. I don't believe it. I can't believe that there were that many faulty parts in the shipment. I mean, we usually have a couple, but a hundred?"  
  
"There shouldn't be any at all. Isn't it the quality control inspectors' job to make sure that this doesn't happen?" Rhianna asked firmly. She had had the entire weekend to think about the defective pieces and to ponder ways to ensure that errors of this magnitude didn't occur again.  
  
The color slowly returned to the foreman's face as he addressed her concerns. He placed a calming hand on her shoulder and replied in his typically patronizing tone. "Yes, ye're right, but they're bound to make some mistakes. They inspect hundreds of pieces daily; one or two pieces will slip by now and again." He smiled down at her.  
  
But Rhianna wasn't to be put off so easily. "Except it hasn't been just one or two, more like ten or twenty - per customer! I've been reviewing the customer complaint logs. The rate of returns and replacements is astronomically high. Frankly, I'm amazed that we still have any customers at all. We won't soon if we keep this up. One defective part that goes out these doors is too many." Rhianna stated firmly, her voice strong and unwavering.  
  
Brian inhaled deeply and slumped his shoulders. He was a tad unnerved by Rhianna's abrupt change in personality. The sweet, unsure, frail girl he had known seemed to have been replaced by a leader with a spine of steel overnight. {This could make things difficult for our plans.} he realized.  
  
"Okay," he acquiesced. "So do ye want me to fire the inspectors?" he asked softly.  
  
Rhianna cocked her head to the side as she pondered his question. "No," she finally decided, "Let's give them one more chance. Perhaps they'll be more alert if they know they are being watched. But I am going to make Sheamus, ah, Mr. Brady their supervisor. I want him to personally double check every part that goes out that door."  
  
"As ye wish." {I've got to get rid of Sheamus.} He moved in closer to her and reached out a hand to cup her cheek. When he spoke his voice was soft, caressing.  
  
"I'm glad everything turned out so well. I just wish." he broke off suddenly and turned away from her.  
  
Rhianna gently turned him back around. "Wish what?"  
  
His brown eyes gazed into hers intensely and Rhianna could see his pain on his face. "I just.I thought that we had gotten close, that maybe ye.cared for me the way I care for ye."  
  
Rhianna blushed and looked down at the floor. "I do..care." she said softly, her eyes downcast.  
  
"Then why didn't ye come get me Friday night? Ye needed help and I would've been here in an instant had I only known. Ye shouldn't have had to worry and work so hard." He gently took her hands in his and rubbed tiny circles on her palms with his thumbs. "This is very hard and dangerous work; ye could've been hurt. Besides," he added with a smile, "I don't like to think of these beautiful hands getting dirty with hard labor."  
  
Rhianna blushed under his gentle gaze. She loved the way he smiled at her; she felt deliriously happy. Yet at the same time, she felt a little odd - as if something was missing. She should be beside herself with joy; Brian had told her he cared for her. Yet for some reason she suddenly found herself thinking of Sheamus.  
  
She pushed him out of her mind and focused on the handsome man in front of her. She smiled up at him.  
  
"So, the next time anything happens, ye'll come get me? I am the foreman and I need to be aware of everything that goes on here."  
  
Rhianna nodded, feeling guilt and shame for having forgotten about Brian. He was right - he should've been here. "You're right. I'm terribly sorry."  
  
Brian smiled. "It's okay." And acting on impulse, bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips.  
  
Later in the afternoon Rhianna sat at her desk looking over the next week's schedules. She absentmindedly ran her fingers over her lips, tracing the sweet kiss Brian had given her earlier. She sighed. Again, she should have been happy, but it only seemed to reaffirm that something was missing. Once again her thoughts drifted to dinner Sunday night with Sheamus. She recalled their spirited argument about her singing. {Passion. Hmmf.} She snorted. {He doesn't know the meaning of the word.}  
  
She looked up when she heard the office door creak open. Brian slowly walked in and it was immediately clear that something troubled him.  
  
"Rhianna, there's something I need to tell ye." He said seriously as he looked into her deep green eyes.  
  
She motioned for him to take a seat as her heart began to race. She could only assume from his tone that he had bad news. He sat in a chair beside her and took her hands in his.  
  
Brian took a deep breath. "I was upset at the high number of defective pieces in the shipment; I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I did a little checking, looked at the parts themselves." He paused momentarily to fully grab her attention. "All of the parts, ALL of them came off of the same machine. I thoroughly checked the machine; it's running normally. This is definitely a case of operator error."  
  
He inhaled another deep breath and continued, his voice dropping to a thick whisper. "This many defective parts off of one machine is at best an indication of gross incompetence. At worst, it speaks of sabotage." His last words hung in the suddenly still air of the office.  
  
"Sabotage? Ye mean that someone did this on purpose?" she questioned, not wanting to believe her ears.  
  
"It's the only plausible explanation. Even our slowest worker would not make this many mistakes in one week. This was intentional."  
  
Rhianna's mind raced to match her heart. She didn't want to accept it, but his words made sense. Why else would there have been so many errors during this first and most crucial shipment? Someone had wanted her to fail. And if those parts had gone out as planned, she very well would have.  
  
She turned hard eyes toward her foreman. "Is there anyway to find out who's doing this?"  
  
"I already have. Every part produced in this factory gets stamped with a number indicating the machine it came off of. These parts came from Machine 3, Section 5. Sheamus Brady's station."  
  
"What?" the word flew out of her mouth, but it was purely automatic response. Her mind flashed suddenly. Friday night, they were going to replace the parts and the machine that Sheamus had immediately gone to was. machine 3 in section 5. {But that only proves that he operates that machine. It doesn't mean that, that.} her thought floundered though, unfinished. She racked her brain for some defense.  
  
"I'm sorry Rhianna. I know ye've become rather close to Sheamus. But all the evidence points to him. He did it."  
  
"But, but that doesn't make sense. I mean, he was the one who found the defective parts. Why would he tell me about them if he had made them in the first place?" she asked hotly, relieved to have seized upon a reasonable doubt.  
  
Brian shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe, so he could come to the rescue - play the hero again." He reached over and gently caressed her cheek. When he spoke again his voice was softer, gentler.  
  
"Think about it Rhianna. Ye take over for your father and suddenly your customers are leaving ye left and right. Things are at their darkest when Sheamus Brady happens by and manages to convince them to place another order. Incidentally, he just happens to know many of your customers personally. That same week we have the largest number of defective parts in our entire history, and he just happens to discover them. By the way, how did he find them? They were already packed into crates at that time."  
  
"He told me that he had felt a sudden need to check them one last time, that he'd had a hunch." She replied mechanically, her mind whirling.  
  
Brian snorted with derision. "He had a hunch. Right." He sighed and turned gentle eyes back toward the girl in front of him. "Rhianna, this kid has traveled far in the years he's worked here, because he's smart and ambitious. Good qualities, but also a dangerous combination, especially where ye're concerned."  
  
He squeezed her hand and gazed into her wide eyes. "Rhianna, ye're in a very dangerous and vulnerable position right now. Ye're young, naïve, trusting. Beautiful. And ye have a considerable dowry, which consists of, among other things, ownership of your father's business. These qualities make ye easy prey for opportunistic men who think only of their own gain. I've seen the way he looks at you, Rhianna. He has designs on ye, and he won't stop until he's gained your title and control of your business."  
  
Her mind flashed suddenly to several nights ago, after Sheamus had helped her in the forest. She had been telling him about her dowry. Rhianna recalled the strange, calculating look that had come over his face then. His blue eyes had looked at her almost greedily. And ever since then he had been polite, caring, complimentary (in direct contrast to his usual mocking, angry manner.) In fact he seemed to go out of his way to charm her at every opportunity.  
  
She remembered the tense conversation Sunday night regarding her engagement. She had sensed an undercurrent of bitterness in his comments. {Could it be he was upset to learn that I was already engaged? That his plans were for naught?}  
  
She sighed. She didn't like what she was thinking, but what other explanation was there? Sheamus has never been very open with her, has never really given her a reason to trust him. She recalled the three times that he had come to her rescue, all of them under bizarre coincidences. He was walking by the office and heard her conversation with her customers; he was on a walk through the forest when he heard her cry for help; and finally he just happened to decide to check on the parts.  
  
It was all too much to be mere coincidence. For all she knew he even staged her attack in the forest to appear the hero. {It was awfully convenient that he was passing through the forest at the same time.}  
  
She flushed hotly, feeling foolish at having been deceived by the scoundrel. Her anger flared and she trembled.  
  
Brian leaned closer to her and took her trembling face in his hands. "Look, I want to be wrong about Sheamus, I really do. He's a good kid, from good family. But his family has suffered a great deal, and continues to suffer. That would drive even a saint to commit a deadly sin. Rhianna, I don't want to see ye hurt. Let me take care of this for ye. I will quietly let Sheamus go, and ye won't have to worry about it."  
  
"No." she said firmly. "I'll do it." 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen  
  
"Here's your dinner, sir." Elizabeth placed the steaming plate on the table in front of Sean.  
  
He replied without even glancing at her; his face an unreadable mask. "Thank ye, Eli.Miss Brady. That will be all." He dismissed her casually.  
  
"Ah.yes sir." She said simply and then left the dining room.  
  
The second she was gone from the room Sean's stoic mask fell away revealing the sad regret he felt inside. He hated treating Elizabeth in that manner, so cold and distant. {Ye know it's better this way. Ye could fall for the girl, if ye haven't already. Which would only make it worse when ye have to marry Miss Lockeheart. It's better for both of ye. A little hurt now to spare greater pain later.} But that didn't mean that it didn't kill him to see the look of pain and confusion in her large blue eyes. He hadn't even explained things to her, just gradually began distancing himself from her. For her part she immediately accepted it and changed her behavior accordingly. She began calling him sir instead of Sean and they no longer took their meals together.  
  
Sean sighed deeply. {Just let it go. Ye haven't known her all that long for it to be serious. Forget about her and focus on Miss Lockeheart. Her father has expressed some interest in the match. Perhaps it would be good for her to spend the summer here.} He continued planning as he ate his dinner; all the while trying to forget about the lovely girl in the next room.  
  
Elizabeth hummed a light happy tune as she cleaned the pots from dinner. Light and happy, the complete opposite of her heart's current state. She was still trying to figure out what had happened in her friendship with Sean. {Was it something I did? Or said?}  
  
{Whatever it was, it happened during yesterday morning's church service.} One moment they were sharing one of their usual, wonderful conversations. Elizabeth smiled to remember the warm glow in Sean's brown eyes as he talked with her. She had loved their time together. He made her feel.alive, like waking after a long dark sleep to the sun shining and birds singing. She felt different around him, like an awakening occurring deep within her spirit.  
  
But that was one moment. The next moment he had seemed to pull back from her. Their happy conversation slowly died, and he avoided looking at her. Instead he seemed to focus all his attention on the service and the people around him. After the service, he barely even greeted her. He had just nodded civilly towards her and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Brady." And then he was gone, lost in the crowd.  
  
Elizabeth had hoped that it was just a temporary phase, that something had upset him during the service and that Monday things would be back to normal. But despite working all day with him in the same house things hadn't improved, but only gotten worse. Now she could almost see the walls he'd erected between them. {I wonder if I should say something about it, ask him what's wrong.} She thought on it momentarily, biting her bottom lip as she did so.  
  
{No, he's just trying to set the boundaries of our working relationship. I've become too familiar with him, too friendly. He is my employer and of the noble class. This is his way of making sure our relationship is appropriate. He didn't say anything probably because he doesn't want to hurt my feelings.} She sighed deeply. {I have to stop thinking of him as Sean; he's Lord Cassidy.} She lectured herself firmly.  
  
She blushed hotly, feeling foolish for letting her crush on her employer get out of hand. {I misread it; saw things that weren't there. Silly girl, of course he doesn't care for ye. Ye're a servant girl and he's a nobleman. Just let it go, Elizabeth. It wasn't anything serious.}  
  
Sean was putting the finishing touches on his letter when he heard a knock on his study door.  
  
"Come in." he called. He looked up to see Elizabeth nervously enter the room. She stood in front of the door with her hands clasped before her. He noticed the endearing way her fingers fidgeted restlessly and he felt another wrench of pain on his heart.  
  
She stammered slightly before regaining her voice. Why did this have to be so difficult now? "Um.sir. I've finished cleaning the dishes and all the other rooms are cleaned and dusted. I was wondering if ye need anything else?"  
  
Sean sighed inaudibly. This new relationship was going to be difficult for him. "No thank ye, Miss Brady." He looked down at his desk. "Wait, could ye drop this letter by the Postal Office on your way into town?" He stood up and handed her a folded letter of fine parchment paper. As she tucked the letter into her jacket, the neatly handwritten letters seemed to jump out at her. She smiled timidly back at Sean before exiting the room. She took the letter out of her pocket and read the address again to confirm her eyes. She felt her heart seize with sadness and loss. It was addressed to a Miss Miriam Lockeheart.  
  
They walked in silence through the dark forest. Their crunching footsteps and crickets' mating call were the only noises to be heard. The full moon shone brightly down on them, illuminating Rhianna's hair and face with an ethereal glow.  
  
But Sheamus's mind was not on the beauty of the present but rather on a memory of Sunday morning. He recalled the look of lustful desire in Mr. Dimera's eyes as he leered wantonly at Rhianna. His black eyes had glittered like onyx, sending shivers up Sheamus's spine. In that instant Dimera was openly revealed to Sheamus, he saw his plans and his desires, saw the darkness of his heart. {Somehow I've got to break her engagement. But how?}  
  
{Don't worry about that now, Sheamus. Ye've got more pressing matters to worry about.} He thought of his mother, lying sick in her bed back home. His face twisted with worry. She had gotten much worse since the previous day. She had looked so lean and pale that morning, that Sheamus had been afraid to leave her for work. {Damn doctors!} He cursed silently. The doctors had been little help and had little answers to why his mum was still sick. 'It's just the flu.' They kept saying, telling her to get plenty of rest. {She's been doing nothing but rest for two months now!}  
  
He remembered the look in her eyes that morning and his stomach twisted in grief. She had looked the same right after his da had died, lost and cold. Sheamus could feel it in his chilled soul. She wasn't going to get better.  
  
Rhianna was barely aware of the silent, brooding man who walked beside her. She was still focused on all that she had learned that day. Brian's words replayed constantly in her head. She didn't want to believe that Sheamus had purposefully damaged all those parts. But if he didn't, then who did? {Enough thinking about this. Ye know what ye have to do.}  
  
She inhaled deeply, searching her mind for the best way to begin. {This won't be easy, but I have to be able to trust all my workers.} She tried not to think about Sheamus's sister and ill mother. {He's smart, hard working. He'll find another job soon enough.}  
  
"Sheamus, does anyone else ever operate your machine besides you? Sheamus?" she repeated, to get his attention.  
  
"What? No, I'm the only one."  
  
"I've been thinking about those faulty parts all weekend, trying to make sense of it, trying to figure out why it happened. The end count was 107. 107. Doesn't that seem extremely high to ye?.Sheamus?"  
  
"Huh, what? Oh yeah, I guess it does." He replied absentmindedly. {I wonder if there's a new medication we could put Mum on, or send her away to a good hospital, not that we could afford it.}  
  
"Any thoughts on why that many parts were defective? How many would normally be in a shipment?" Rhianna questioned.  
  
Sheamus sighed in frustration at again having his thoughts interrupted. "I haven't the foggiest idea. Shouldn't ye be talking to your foreman about this?" he asked, a slight edge to his voice.  
  
That didn't go unnoticed by Rhianna. "I'm asking you." She replied icily. "Tell me again what made you decide to check the parts. Do you usually check them before they go out?"  
  
He looked at her simply, annoyance written across his features. What was with all the questions? "I don't know. I told ye I just felt like I had to look at them one last time. And give the way things turned out, aren't ye glad I did?" He questioned hotly.  
  
"Aye, ye really came to the rescue didn't ye?" she muttered angrily. So far he hadn't said anything to reassure her of his innocence.  
  
Sheamus simply stared at her dumbfounded. What was wrong with her now? And why did he suddenly have to be reminded of how amazingly beautiful she was? Her emerald eyes flashed brilliantly and her cheeks were flushed with anger. His eyes landed on her full lips and he saw himself kissing them, tasting them. {I bet she tastes sweet.} he mused. {Like pure honey.} He shook his head to clear his thoughts. {Remember, ye're trying to think of a way to help your Mum.}  
  
He inhaled deeply and slumped his shoulders. "Look, we've both had a long, tiring day. We're almost to your castle. Can we just resume our walk and save the talk for another time?" he asked as he kept his eyes downcast. {If I look at her again, I'll start thinking about kissing her.}  
  
She studied him closely, noticing the way he avoided her eyes. He appeared to have something else on his mind. What was it he was keeping from her? "No, I'm afraid this can't wait." She sighed. She waited until he brought his eyes up to meet hers. "Sheamus, we need to talk."  
  
He looked at her concernedly. What was going on?  
  
"I learned something today. All of the faulty parts, all 107 of them, came off the same machine."  
  
Brady snorted. "Someone asleep at their station?" he cracked.  
  
Her face remained a stone cold mask. "Ye tell me. They came from your machine."  
  
"Really? Hmm, there must be something wrong with it. We should take a look at it."  
  
"It is operating perfectly." She stated coolly.  
  
"That's not possible. I've been operating that machine for five years - there's no way I made those parts." He insisted hotly.  
  
"Not accidentally, no."  
  
A long pause followed. Only the night sounds of chirping insects could be heard as her words hung in the air.  
  
"I don't believe this." He breathed, seeing with a cold realization where she was headed. "Ye think I did this on purpose?" Unbelievable! After everything they had been through in such a short period of time, she actually believed him capable of trying to destroy the factory he loved more than anything in the world.  
  
"I'm the one who found the defective parts, and slaved all night to replace them." He defended, feeling hot blood rushing in his face.  
  
"Aye, ye found them after ye decided to check on them - why? Because ye had a hunch." She shot back mockingly. She stared at him and her dreams flashed in her vision. She took note of his smoldering blue eyes that gleamed purple in the moonlight. Her eyes traveled down his sharp jaw line to his chest. She found herself wishing he would take her in his arms and.  
  
He gripped her firmly by the shoulders, resisting the urge to crush her lips beneath his. "Look at me." He commanded softly. "I don't know how those parts came off my machine but I promise ye I did not make them. Why would I want to jeopardize the business - I love the factory more than my own life."  
  
"Aye, I know ye do." She replied coldly. "Ye love it so much ye dream of running it, owning it. Don't ye, Mr. Brady?" She stared into his eyes. He couldn't keep the truth from shining in the blue depths.  
  
"Did ye think that if ye 'rescued' me enough times that I would throw myself into your arms and agree to marry ye? That I would risk my standing in the church by breaking a sacred agreement? No. I am going to be married, Mr. Brady. And there is nothing ye can do to change that." She added, almost sadly.  
  
Sheamus looked in her eyes then and knew he had lost. While he was innocent of the actual charges - the underlying motive was still there. He knew she would never trust him now. {Congratulations, Dimera. Looks like you've won.}  
  
Rhianna spoke then. "I'm sorry, Mr. Brady, but under the circumstances I cannot allow ye to continue working at the factory. Ye will be given two weeks pay and I will gladly recommend ye to prospective employers. I am sorry, but this is for the best." She turned suddenly and quickly walked away.  
  
Sheamus stood there, looking after her. He debated following after her, and thought about trying to convince her of his innocence.  
  
"Sheamus!" he turned to see Elizabeth running up to him. "Thank the Lord I found ye."  
  
"Elizabeth!" he cried with surprise. "What are ye doing here? Did ye just come through the forest by yourself?" he noticed then the panic on her pale face.  
  
"Come on, we have to go home now. It's Mum!" 


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen  
  
They stood side by side in front of the fresh grave long after the other mourners had left. They clasped each other's hands tightly; a bitter reminder that all they had left was each other.  
  
Sheamus squeezed his baby sister's hand. She turned toward him and smiled sadly.  
  
"Do ye think the minister's right? That Mum's happier now?" her small voice hopeful.  
  
Sheamus paused momentarily before answering. "Aye, LizzyB. I do. She's at peace now, no more pain. And she's with Da." He flashed her a smile he didn't feel to comfort her.  
  
"With Da." She repeated softly as she gazed at the twin headstones that marked the graves of their parents.  
  
Sheamus stared at the cold stone and tried to make sense of everything. It had been a chaotic, mad five days since the night he was fired. He had raced home with Elizabeth to find his mother in a deep sleep, burning with fever. The doctors toiled day and night for two days to bring her fever down, but nothing succeeded. She did finally awake, but in such a state of delirium that she was barely aware of her surroundings.  
  
He closed his eyes against the bitter memory. In a final moment of lucidity, she had called for her two children. She gazed lovingly at them and told them that she loved them and was very proud of them. Her final words replayed in Sheamus's mind.  
  
"Sheamus, I don't have to tell ye to look after your sister. Ye've been doing that since the day she was born. But I will tell ye, Elizabeth, to look after your brother. He needs ye more than ye know. And ye Sheamus, all I ask is that ye be happy and trust your heart. It will never fail ye."  
  
Shortly afterwards, she fell back into her sleep and that night she quietly passed away. The last couple of days had been a blur of notifying friends and distant relatives, and making arrangements. Fortunately the financial burden of the funeral had been lifted from Sheamus's shoulders when the minister informed him that everything had been taken care of by an anonymous donor. Sheamus had yet to even ponder who their secret benefactor had been.  
  
Sheamus inhaled an anxious breath. He hadn't even thought about the future. Where would they live? {Room and board for the two of us would probably take most of Mum's meager savings - and even that won't last long. And Elizabeth's wages won't get us far, either. I have to get a job - soon.} He sighed. They'd be able to make a small living in that manner. If they were frugal they could even maybe save for the future. But he had hoped for better. Better for him and for Elizabeth. He didn't want for her to have to work for a living. It was only supposed to be temporary. Once their mother was well, then Elizabeth would quit working and go back to school.  
  
{But that was before.} he reminded himself. {Don't worry Sheamus. We'll make it somehow. I'll get a job and everything will be okay. I wonder how Rhianna's doing. Mum was very dear to her, to the both of them.}  
  
He thought about their last meeting with regret. He hadn't seen her since then, although he was sure she had heard the news. It was strange. Even in the midst of his pain and grief, he still found himself wondering how Rhianna was doing. He smiled wryly and shook his head.  
  
Elizabeth clutched her brother's arm, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked down at his little sister and into her large, watery eyes. She gazed up at him, feeling lost and frightened. Her mother had been the most important person in her entire life. Before her illness, she had been mother, teacher, and best friend. And now she was gone, just like her father.  
  
Sheamus's heart wrenched at the naked pain on Elizabeth's face. They hadn't yet grieved for their mother - hadn't really had the chance. Before now it hadn't sunk in, been real to them. But now as they stood before her grave, it hit them with the force of an icy wave.  
  
Elizabeth began to shake as tears fell out of her eyes. Sheamus wordlessly gathered her into a tight embrace, hoping to protect and console her with his strong arms.  
  
They watched the grieving siblings from a respectful distance.  
  
"Should we go over there?" Sean asked his sister. He watched Sheamus comfort Elizabeth. His heart went out to the girl, lovely even in her grief. She and her brother stood in front of their mother's grave, looking very much alone in the world and Sean knew first hand what that was like.  
  
Rhianna watched the same scene, feeling her own grief and pain. She watched the way Sheamus sought to comfort his sister and smiled sadly. Even now, he was the strong one, the hero who put other's needs before his own.  
  
"No," she answered her brother. "They need some time. Besides, we have our own respects to pay." She reminded him.  
  
They walked through the church's cemetery, past the long rows of weathered stone crosses. They finally came to a separate gated enclosure that housed the Cassidy family plots. They walked past the graves of their ancestors until they reached the most recent graves. Their parents lay side by side in front of them.  
  
Sean gazed at his father's headstone. "Hasn't even been three weeks." He remarked softly. "Yet so much has happened. So much has changed."  
  
Rhianna nodded. After a moment's quiet reflection, she knelt and placed a small bouquet on each grave. She ran her hand lightly over her mother's stone, feeling the rough surface beneath her fingers.  
  
"Bye, Mum." She said simply, having no words for the woman who had died when she was very little. She had already shared so much with her during her frequent visits to her grave.  
  
But she paused though, at her father's grave. Here the pain was fresh, the wound still raw. Her hand trembled as she reached out for her father's headstone. She smiled to feel her brother's reassuring hand on her shoulder, comforting her."  
  
"Da, it's me. Your little Ree. I just wanted to let ye know that I miss ye, and I love ye. And I'm keeping your business alive." Her voice faltered and she choked on the sudden thick swelling of her throat. Despite her attempts to be strong, she had to express the grief she felt inside. Salty tears streamed from her eyes and Sean gathered her in a crushing hug.  
  
"Let it out, Ree." He whispered, his own voice thick with emotion. They themselves hadn't really begun to process their grief at the loss of their father. The death of Mrs. Brady just served to reopen wounds that hadn't really healed.  
  
Rhianna buried her face in her brother's neck and released her pain and grief.  
  
In another part of the cemetery, another girl cried in her brother's arms. Elizabeth pulled back from her brother as she neared the end of her tears. Sheamus smiled tenderly as she sniffled and hiccupped.  
  
He cupped her chin gently and stared into her luminous blue eyes. "It's going to be okay, LizzyB. I promise." He assured her with as much faith as he could muster.  
  
She smiled hesitantly and nodded simply. She noticed people approaching and prepared herself to receive them. As they neared, Elizabeth recognized Sean and his sister and her heart seized within her chest. She didn't know if she could take being around him now.  
  
Sheamus turned to greet the twins, similarly affected by their presence. He glanced at Rhianna and it was all he could do to hold on to his remaining composure. She was lovely, as always. He noticed her tear stained cheeks and his heart went out to her.  
  
The four mourners stood in an uncomfortable silence. Sean finally spoke up. His eyes glanced briefly at Sheamus, but then rested on Elizabeth. "We just came by to offer our deepest condolences. Your mother was.well she was a very wonderful woman. She was very nearly like a second mum to Rhianna and me. I'm.very sorry for your loss." He said haltingly.  
  
Elizabeth merely gripped her brother's hand, feeling her tears returning.  
  
"Thank ye." Sheamus replied simply, his eyes on Rhianna.  
  
Sean cleared his throat and continued. "We also wanted to ask if there was anything we could do for ye."  
  
"Thank ye again, but we're going to be fine." Sheamus interrupted softly. The last thing he needed now was pity or charity. Especially not from her.  
  
"But then we figured ye'd say that," Sean continued with a small smile, "so instead we're asking if ye could do something for us."  
  
"What?" Sheamus asked cautiously.  
  
Rhianna answered. "The castle is really much to large for just my brother and I, and we are very lonely, and there are lovely rooms just sitting empty, and Elizabeth is there so much working anyway, we were wondering if ye would please move into the castle?" she offered with a hopeful smile.  
  
Elizabeth looked up at her brother hopefully. "What do ye think?" she asked him, looking for permission.  
  
Sheamus hid the grimace he felt behind an insincere smile. Charity. Great. He inhaled deeply. At least he wouldn't have to worry about his sister. "If ye want to, Elizabeth, that's okay. But I'm afraid that I have to turn down your gracious offer."  
  
"And again I figured ye'd say that; your stubborn pride would never let ye receive help from the likes of me." Rhianna said loudly, but with a kind smile. "So instead we have a proposition for ye."  
  
Sean continued for his sister. "Ye remember me telling ye about the Ladies? They live in cottages on our property. There's a vacant cottage beside them, just big enough for ye, and in decent shape. We need someone to live there, to provide the Ladies with a sense of security and spend a couple of hours a week looking after their needs, bringing their food for the week, and fixing small repairs, and things of that nature. Does that seem like something ye would like to do?" He asked simply.  
  
Sheamus considered the offer thoughtfully. It would solve his problems, and was so disguised so as to not feel like charity, even though it was very nearly that. He looked down into his sister's large pleading eyes and felt lost.  
  
"Okay." He agreed. 


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen  
  
He paused at the doorway and just watched her. Elizabeth sat in her room staring out the window. Sean's heart twisted at the naked pain on her face. The last week had been very hard for her. Her family, her life had completely changed. Her mother died and she moved into her employer's castle. She had pleaded with Sheamus to move in with her, but his stubborn pride wouldn't let him take charity. And so they had been separated. Despite Sean's and Rhianna's attempts to make her feel at home, she felt very much lost and alone.  
  
Elizabeth suddenly became aware of a presence in her room. She turned to see Sean gazing at her.  
  
He cleared his throat. "I.uh.came to see if ye needed anything."  
  
Elizabeth quickly wiped her wet eyes and forced a bright smile to her face. "No, thank ye. I'm fine. This is such a lovely room you've given me. I can't thank ye enough for all your generosity."  
  
"Ye don't have to do this," he said as he walked toward her. Her pain was so evident in her eyes and all he wanted was to ease it.  
  
"It's okay to be sad, Elizabeth," he told her as he reached out for her. "It's okay to cry," he said softly, his arms wrapping around her stiff body. At his soothing words and warm embrace, Elizabeth felt herself relaxing. Her body melted against his and her stoic control crumbled. Tears slipped from her eyes and she shook in his arms.  
  
Sean hugged the crying girl tighter to him. He loved the way she felt in his arms; so natural, like this was where she belonged. He couldn't imagine feeling about anyone else the way he felt in that moment. That's when he knew.  
  
{I'm falling for her.} Sadness filled him with the realization. They could never be together. She was his servant, and more importantly, he was going to marry someone else. He continued to hold the sobbing girl and sighed. {What am I going to do?}  
  
He shut the door behind him and tossed the newspaper onto the already cluttered kitchen table. He looked around at the stacks of half-opened boxes that stood about the cabin's living room. What few items of furniture there were were hidden beneath piles of strewn clothing. Sheamus rubbed his scruffy chin and absorbed the sight before him.  
  
"I really should finish unpacking", he murmured aloud. "One of these days."  
  
He gazed at the spacious room, feeling another wave of awe. {And they call this small. It's almost the size of our old house.} The cabin was composed of a large living area with a small kitchen off to one side and a separate bedroom. While in decent shape, the cabin was beginning to show its age and needed a few repairs.  
  
"Another thing to add to my growing list of things to do." He had already had a busy morning despite the early hour. He had checked in with the Ladies and dropped off some food and supplies (and performed a minor repair or two.) Afterwards, he had walked into town to buy a paper.  
  
He checked his pocket watch and grimaced. "How did it get so late? Too much time chattin' with the Ladies." His quick errand there had turned into a lengthy visit as he went around their cottage fixing a leak here and a hole there.  
  
{It wasn't a complete waste}, he mused. He had gained some valuable information about the late Lord Cassidy, and Rhianna's betrothal to Dimera. He replayed their earlier conversation in his mind. The Ladies had been thanking him for his help.  
  
"Don't mention, it", he had replied with a smile. "Just doing my job."  
  
"And thank Lord Sean for us when ye see him." Mrs. Plunkett added. Her lined face grew sad then, wistful. "Such a shame about the late Lord Cassidy." She said as she shook her head.  
  
"Aye," he replied with false sincerity. "His death was so.sad. Unexpected."  
  
"Oh, not his death dearie, although that was unexpected - very sudden. No, his death was a mercy. He's at rest now, in peace. The real shame happened years ago, when the twins were just wee ones."  
  
"I can still remember the magic of those times," Mrs. Ceannt spoke up. "There was such.life here in the castle. Joy and happiness just radiated from everything and everyone."  
  
Sheamus remembered Rhianna's description of her happy childhood. "So what happened?"  
  
"Lady Clionna was struck suddenly by a severe illness. She died. And the wonderful, strong, kind man that had been Lord Cassidy died with her. Emotionally, anyway. Lady Clionna had been his life, and suddenly she was gone. And then there were the twins, the children who were living reminders of his loss. Rhianna, who looks so much like Lady Clionna, and Sean, who inherited her gentle spirit. Lord Cassidy retreated from them and his pain, and buried himself in business and ale. He continued living, but he was a mere shell of his former self. His grief had made him weak, vulnerable."  
  
"Vulnerable to what?"  
  
Mrs. Plunkett gifted him with a keen eye. "To Dimera," she replied softly. "We may be confined to this cottage but we still know a bit of what goes on in town. Mr. Dimera first showed up about three years ago with a proposal to marry Miss Rhianna. She was only thirteen then, but it isn't unusual for young ladies to marry at that age. But Lord Cassidy in one of his stronger moments refused. Dimera was too old and secretly Lord Cassidy didn't trust him. But then, almost immediately, the business began to fail. You've worked there - surely ye noticed the change."  
  
Sheamus frowned in thought. He'd never really noticed it before but now the suspicions were too strong to ignore.  
  
"Accidents, worker injuries, money disappearing; and everyone was looking at Lord Cassidy as the cause. Finally a year ago Dimera came back to the castle and repeated his offer. Lord Cassidy had no choice but to accept."  
  
Sheamus was still going over what the Ladies had told him later that morning as he looked over the paper. He was amazed at how much they knew. They seemed to be aware of everything.  
  
"So that's how Rhianna became to engaged to Dimera." Sheamus was more determined than ever to break their union. He was positive that he was somehow behind the "accidents" at the factory. According to the Ladies, if Cassidy's should fail then Rhianna would have no choice but to marry Dimera immediately. {That's why the business is so important to her; it's a way to delay her wedding. And it's why he must make sure she doesn't succeed. I just have to prove it. But how to get her to listen to me?} He inhaled deeply and looked at the paper. "But first I have to find a job. Mum's meager savings won't last forever."  
  
He was scanning over the job notices for the third time when there was a soft knock at his door. To his mild surprise Rhianna stood on his doorstep.  
  
"Um.Lady Cassidy. Come in", he said somewhat stiffly. He groaned inwardly at the chaotic state of the cabin. "Sorry about the mess."  
  
Rhianna chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it. It suits ye." She replied with a small smirk.  
  
"Thanks." A moment of awkward silence passed and Sheamus was acutely aware of Rhianna's presence. Her sweet fragrance wrapped around him and wafted in his nose, drugging him, making his head spin. His heart seemed to pound loudly in his ears and, was that sweat glistening on his palms? He inhaled a deep calming breath and tried to ignore the effect she had on him. He deliberately turned his eyes away from her luscious figure and racked his mind for something to say.  
  
"Um, was there something ye needed?"  
  
"I just came to see if ye have gotten settled in all right." She croaked through her dry throat.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks." Another silent moment dawdled by. "Was there something else ye needed?"  
  
Rhianna shook herself out of her wicked thoughts. It had been several days since she had last seen him at his mother's funeral and she had almost forgotten how devilishly handsome he was. She forcefully brought to mind the reason for her visit.  
  
"Actually, yes. How's the job search going?"  
  
"It's going. Why?"  
  
"Well, I haven't yet filled your old position. Finding someone to operate the machine is easy enough. I'm just having a hard time filling the sales position."  
  
"What about the foreman?"  
  
"Brian has other worries; he's busy overseeing operations. Besides he doesn't have your way with people. Look, this is a crucial time for the company. We're beginning to turn around, making improvements in manufacturing. Now is the time to focus on our sales. I need someone who can bring in the orders."  
  
"And ye want that person to be me? Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need your charity." He said harshly, feeling his stomach twist with revile at the thought of being pitied.  
  
"Good. Cause I'm not in the habit of giving it." Rhianna's voice had risen sharply. Once again she found herself wanting to fight with Sheamus. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed their verbal battles. She inhaled deeply and tried to calm her racing heart.  
  
"Look, as much as it kills me to say this, I need you. Our customers are used to dealing with ye, and for some strange reason they like ye. I need a salesman and ye need a job. It's your choice."  
  
Sheamus stood there, his eyes glued to the floor. As much as he wanted his old job back, he couldn't - wouldn't come back to the factory. Not like this, as an act of pity.  
  
Rhianna looked at the silent man and resisted the urge to strangle him. Why wasn't he saying anything? "I'll even pay ye for the time ye missed."  
  
But he still refused to answer. Rhianna sighed in exasperation. "What else do ye want from me?"  
  
Sheamus stared at her then, his cobalt eyes boring mercilessly into her emerald ones. "Ye say this isn't pity, that ye really need me at the factory, but ye have yet to mention the reasons I was let go in the first place. Ye fired me because ye believed I was sabotaging the business, that I was playing some kind of game with you in order to move ahead. Has that changed? Do ye really want me back at the factory? Or are ye just here because my mother died and ye feel sorry for your dead housekeeper's orphaned son?" He questioned softly, his face a stoic mask.  
  
Rhianna faltered as she searched her chaotic mind for an answer. Two weeks had passed since she fired him and she still had her questions. She didn't really believe that he was guilty - but if not him then who?  
  
She shook her head. She should have known it wouldn't be this easy. All she had wanted to do was help Sheamus and Elizabeth. She had loved their mother dearly and she still hated the thought of them suffering anymore than they already had. But she also should've known that Sheamus's pride wouldn't allow him to accept her charity.  
  
She sighed. "What do ye want from me?"  
  
Sheamus gripped her shoulders, ignoring the tingling sensation in his fingertips. He stared unblinking into her eyes. "I want ye to rehire me because ye really need me, because I'm a smart, hard worker. Because ye depend on me. I want to know that I won't have you or anyone else looking over my shoulder waiting to blame something else on me. I want ye to trust me."  
  
"Then give me a reason to."  
  
He inhaled deeply and ran a hand through his strawberry blond locks. He stared sheepishly at the floor. "Look, I won't deny having a passing interest in you. I'm a man, and you're a very beautiful woman." His eyes traveled leisurely over her body. "But in this case I'm no different than all the men in town. But marriage? To you? No offense, your Ladyship, but I'd sooner hang myself." He replied with a touch of his old manner.  
  
"Aye, and I'd help ye with the rope." She shot back.  
  
Sheamus continued then, his face serious this time. "I don't know how the parts came off my machine. I do know it's not impossible for someone to have come in the night and run my machine. Or more likely, damage parts I had already made. I have worked at Cassidy's for a long time - since I was twelve. And my father worked there before me. I have an excellent work history there, ask anyone."  
  
"If your history is so great, then why does Brian seem to think otherwise?"  
  
"I don't know. He's the foreman; it's his job to think of things that no one else wants to. But he is right about one thing. There is a saboteur at Cassidy's. In my years working there, I've seen a lot of 'mysterious' things that have no explanation. Perfectly operating machines suddenly go haywire causing damage and injury. Vital supplies sometimes 'vanish'. I've even heard rumors of financial errors - money simply disappearing."  
  
Rhianna thought then about the company's books, the ones she had been trying unsuccessfully to reconcile for weeks. {That's why they're out of balance. There's money missing.}  
  
Sheamus continued. "And now the damaged shipment. Someone is going to a lot of effort to set me up."  
  
Rhianna looked at him. "Why?"  
  
He stared into her eyes and took a step toward her. "Maybe someone thinks we're getting too close, that I'm a rival - an obstacle."  
  
{A rival? As in, romantically?} Rhianna's mind whirled with the possibility. {That's ridiculous.} "Who would think that?" She laughed uneasily.  
  
"I don't know who the saboteur is, but I think I know who he's working for. Think of the one person who has the most to gain if Cassidy's fails."  
  
"Dimera." Rhianna replied automatically, her voice a hoarse whisper.  
  
Sheamus nodded. "Cassidy Industries is the only thing standing between ye and wedded bliss. And he knows it."  
  
"So if someone really is trying to get rid of you, then we should make sure they don't succeed." Rhianna suggested.  
  
"So we're in agreement then?"  
  
Rhianna nodded. Sheamus smiled and stuck out his hand.  
  
"Truce?"  
  
"Truce." 


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
"So, she rehired him."  
  
"Aye, sir." Brian held his breath wondering anxiously how his employer would take the news of Sheamus's return to the factory.  
  
Alexander Dimera let out a slow, measured breath. He leaned back in the leather chair and steepled his fingers under his chin. "I expected as much."  
  
Brian let out a relieved breath. "Sir?"  
  
"I assume you heard of Mrs. Brady's passing?"  
  
"Ye mean, his mother? Aye, 'tis a shame." Brian answered, not quite following his boss.  
  
"Yes well, Mrs. Brady also worked for Lord Cassidy for many years. In many ways she was a second mother to Rhianna. So of course she's going to take pity on him, if only for his mother's sake."  
  
Alexander furrowed his brow in thought. "Still, it doesn't mean I have to put up with it. I want him gone, Brian. Permanently."  
  
.  
  
It was early in the morning. A warm spring breeze blew through the open window. Birds sang and the fragrance of newly opened flowers hung in the air. And she was on his mind.  
  
Sean stared at the letter that lay on the large ornate desk. But all he could see was her. Large, laughing blue eyes that stood out from a pretty, smiling face. Long, waving blond hair, and a gently curving figure. Despite his concerted efforts to forget her, Elizabeth haunted his dreams and waking thoughts.  
  
His head dropped to the desk and a loud THUNK! bounced off the stone walls of his office. {Och, Sean what is wrong with ye? Why can't ye get your mind off this girl?} He had tried driving distance between himself and Elizabeth, and had succeeded. For a while.  
  
And then she moved into the castle following her mother's death. There was no escape for Sean; he seemed to run into her everywhere. He bumped into her outside her bedroom and the sight of her in her thin cotton nightgown caused many sleepless nights. He ran into her in the gardens, surrounded by flowers and birds. He even once walked in on her as she was bathing, droplets rolling down her smooth skin.  
  
But more than just his obvious physical attraction, it was the emotional attraction that worried him. He was getting to know her better day by day and everyday his love for her grew.  
  
Sean sighed. Elizabeth was still hurting over the loss of her mother. She hid it well behind her brave smile, but he could still see the pain in her eyes. He heard her soft cries in the night. His heart ached for her pain, a pain he was all too familiar with. {I wish there was something I could do.} He longed for the long-absent sound of her laughter. He could hear her laughter in his head; see her smiling face before him.  
  
And then he glanced at the letter again and the fantasy was replaced by cold reality. {Enough dreamin' Sean. Elizabeth can't give ye the money ye so desperately need.} But Miss Miriam Lockeheart could, and she would be arriving in a matter of weeks to begin their courtship. {And that will be the end of it.}  
  
Sean paused from his work when a familiar lilting voice floated through the open window. He smiled and peered out the window to see Elizabeth hanging wet linens to dry. Around her were several baskets of laundry. She was dressed in a simple, but beautiful dress of light blue. He watched as her long blonde hair became airborne in a gust of wind.  
  
"Sheamus Patrick Brady, what do ye think you're doing?" She asked the man who deposited another basket of clothing beside the others.  
  
"Just dropping off my laundry, dear sister."  
  
"Do ye not see that I already have several loads of wash to do?"  
  
"Aye. So what's one more?" he asked with a broad smile.  
  
"Sheamus! I am not your maid. Do your own wash!"  
  
Sean laughed at the helpless expression that came over the other man's face. Sheamus's lower lip protruded in a pout. "But I don't know how and you're soooo good at it and I don't have anything clean to wear and I tried to wash a shirt but it only got dirtier." He blinked his large blue eyes for effect.  
  
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine. Put yours in with the others."  
  
Sheamus smiled and kissed his sister's cheek as he dashed off.  
  
"But ye owe me something pretty!" she called after him. "Men." She muttered aloud.  
  
Sean stood watching Elizabeth for several moments as she hung laundry up to dry. She was so lovely. There was still the sad pain in her eyes, but it seemed to be less that day. {Forbidden fruit, Sean,} he reminded himself and went to make arrangements for Miss Lockeheart's arrival.  
  
.  
  
"Just watch me and do as I do." Sheamus instructed the man who intently watched over his shoulder. Sheamus slowly took a metal sheet and placed it on the machine platform. He went through the routine: turning gears, pulling levers, stamping buttons. "And the finished piece comes out the other end. See?" He held up the finished piece for the trainee to inspect. He then repeated the process many times.  
  
After several parts had been made he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Rhianna beside him. He bent down to hear her over the noise of his machine.  
  
"Mr. Brady, I'd like to have a meeting with ye. Now, if possible."  
  
He nodded and turned to the trainee. "Patrick, I think you're ready now. Why don't ye take over on my machine? Just do as I showed ye, and if ye need help, ask Thomas. He's the man behind you." Sheamus then turned and followed Rhianna into the office.  
  
"How do ye think he'll turn out?" Rhianna asked, referring to the man Sheamus was training.  
  
"Who - Patrick? I think he'll do quite nicely. He's been working here for several months now and doing various tasks. He's a little slow-witted, but he's a good hard worker. I don't mind repeating myself if it means getting that kind of work out of someone."  
  
Rhianna nodded. "Good. I want to gradually move ye off the machines and have someone else supervise section 5. I need ye up here with me. Ye have a good head for business and I don't want it wasted running the machines." She paused, her eyes twinkling as she planned the future of her company. "In a few months, after we've stabilized and have solidified our core customer base, I'd like for ye and me to begin expanding our sales. Both with new customers and regaining former customers that we've lost. I'd like to see if ye can charm some of them back to us."  
  
"I'd also like to see ye work your charm with some local suppliers. I'm almost positive that we can get our materials cheaper - it's just a matter of talking to the right people." She continued.  
  
Sheamus smiled. "Sounds like a job for Elizabeth."  
  
Rhianna nodded in thought. "Maybe. So that's where we're headed in the future. But for right now, why don't ye share with me this week's sales report?"  
  
He began without even glancing at the report, as if from memory. "Well, Mr. Flannigan has added 100 pcs onto his usual order."  
  
He was cut off suddenly by a loud wailing of the alarm system. Rhianna looked up in surprise. "What's that?" she asked as she covered her ears.  
  
The blood fled from Sheamus's face. "It's the machines. Come on!" he cried and ran out of the office.  
  
Their hurried footsteps rang off of the metal stairs as they raced toward the cause of the alarm. They were met by chaos; loud panicked voices, screeching gears, workers running to and fro.  
  
"It's got his arm!" one voice cried.  
  
"Get back, or it'll get you too!" another voice answered.  
  
Sheamus pushed through the crowd, followed closely by Rhianna. He stopped suddenly when they had broken through the throng of people. He held a restraining arm against Rhianna.  
  
"Ye shouldn't see this." He said softly, his voice strangely detached.  
  
"See what?" She pushed around him in annoyance and froze as the machine came in view.  
  
"Oh God." she moaned as swift nausea assaulted her stomach. Her head swam from the horrifying vision that greeted her. Patrick had gotten his arm caught in the grinding gears. Every second pulled him further into the metal monster. The poor man cried helpless tears while blood flowed from deep wounds.  
  
Rhianna looked around her. Many workers slaved frantically at shutting off the gigantic beast but no one tried to free the trapped worker. Instead they hung back, keeping their distance while looking on sadly.  
  
"Somebody help him!" she cried as she stepped forward.  
  
But an arm pulled her back. She looked up at one of the workers. "It's too late, Lady Cassidy. There's nothing we can do. It's too dangerous." He explained.  
  
Rhianna looked around her in stunned disbelief. "You're just going to let him.die?" She looked back at Sheamus for help. Her words died on her tongue. Sheamus stood there, his glossy eyes staring blankly at the struggling worker. Ice shot through her veins when she recognized the expression on his face. It was fear. A fear so strong it paralyzed him.  
  
She looked back at poor Patrick and tears filled her eyes. She bit her lip in determination. There was still time to save him. There had to be something she could do. She ran toward Patrick, ducking under a wildly swinging metallic arm. She braced herself against his body and joined him in pulling on his arm. But she couldn't get a good grip on his arm due to the slick blood covering it. She pushed against his torso.  
  
"Pull, Patrick, pull!" she yelled. But despite their efforts, his arm disappeared bit by bit into the machine's gaping jaws.  
  
She looked at the machine. It was no use trying to free him from the outside. He was caught on something and no amount of force was going to pull him free. {If only there was a way to get inside,} she mused. She looked above and saw the machine's steam vent. It was a small hole, but seemed just large enough for her to wiggle through. The vent would take her to the core of the machine, where Patrick was caught.  
  
She climbed the ladder to the vent and poised herself above the opening. She looked apprehensively at the moving gears and presses. The workers hadn't yet been able to shut off the machine. She inhaled a deep breath and climbed down the vent out of sight of the other workers.  
  
She made her way carefully but quickly through the machine's inner core. She wiped the bead of sweat that ran down her cheek. {Okay, so where is it?} She finally came to the right place and immediately spied Patrick's badly wounded arm as well as the top of his head. She gasped to see that Patrick was on a collision course with a press that stamped rapidly several times a minute. There wasn't a moment to lose.  
  
She ran toward Patrick and studied his arm. {Ah ha!} His shirtsleeve had gotten twisted around one of the gears. She pulled and twisted at the fabric, aware of the press that grew ever closer to them both. Finally with a satisfying RIP the sleeve came loose.  
  
"PATRICK, PULL!" She screamed to the man on the other side. He ripped his arm free of the machine. But the force of his movement knocked Rhianna off balance. She fell on her back and looked up to see the press coming down on her.  
  
She only had time to scream. 


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Seventeen  
  
Sheamus watched as Rhianna disappeared from view into the belly of the steel monster. He made no move. In fact, his mind hadn't even registered her action, nor the danger in which she had placed herself. Instead, his mind was on another day much like this one, when another worker had gotten caught on this very machine.  
  
He was twelve. He had been helping his mum with the dishes when they came in. Eamonn Pearse and some of his da's co-workers. Their faces were as cold and hard as death. Their words seemed to echo in the room and in his head; accident, crushed, dead. His mother had been so stiff, so unresponsive at the news, that he wondered if she was okay. It wasn't until his uncle, her brother, wrapped his arms around her that she collapsed crying, giving into her grief.  
  
His uncle's words to him were etched onto his mind. "You're the man o' the house now, m'boy. 'Tis up to ye to watch over your mum and sister."  
  
He had tried, he really had. He began work right away working hard to provide for his family. He never complained about the grueling work, not even when they told him to run the same machine that had killed his father. He had tried, but now he found himself wondering how he had failed his family. His mother was dead, his sister worked as a maid. He had failed them all.  
  
And now he was failing someone else.  
  
"She'll be killed!" a voice broke into his thoughts.  
  
He shook himself out of his daze. He looked at the frantic scene before him - saw Patrick disappearing into the machine. Then it hit him. Rhianna had crawled into the machine. {She's inside that beast!}  
  
He leapt into action and ran for the machine. Without a second thought, he climbed the outer ladder and went down the chute Rhianna had gone into. He made his way quickly but carefully through the machine's innards. He was beginning to wonder if he'd taken a wrong turn when he saw her.  
  
She wrenched Patrick's hand free from its trap and he yanked it free. She stumbled and lost her balance. She fell, landing directly beneath a large stamping press.  
  
"Rhianna!" he yelled and ran for her. He dove on top of her. Scooping her up in his arms, he rolled her out of the way of the press. It stamped down a millisecond later - barely missing his arm.  
  
Tears filled Rhianna's eyes and she found it difficult to breathe. Sheamus cradled her in his arms.  
  
"Be strong for me just a little longer, okay? We're not out of this yet."  
  
Rhianna nodded and wiped her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked around. "Now what?" she asked as she gazed at the gears and swinging arms whirring around them.  
  
"Now we.DUCK!" he cried. He pushed her out of the way as a giant blade sliced through the air like a scythe. He himself though was an inch too slow as he dove out of the way. "Unngh," he moaned as the tip of the blade sliced his temple.  
  
"Sheamus!" Rhianna screamed as she saw the blood flowing from his face. She ran to his side.  
  
They hadn't recovered from their last scare when they became aware of yet another danger. They had somehow moved onto a conveyor belt. They were now heading toward dozens of giant knives all slicing with great speed.  
  
Sheamus spied an approaching platform to the side of the belt. "Be prepared to jump on my mark."  
  
"Wait! I'm caught!"  
  
He looked down at where Rhianna's long Victorian skirt had gotten snagged on the belt. She tugged at the skirt, but the thick material refused to budge.  
  
"Mother of mercy," Sheamus swore. The platform, their only hope of escape, was rapidly approaching. He whipped out his pocketknife and slashed at the skirt, creating a small tear. But time had run out and the platform was now beside them. He grabbed Rhianna by the waist and jumped onto the platform. The loud rip sound told them that the skirt had torn the rest of the way. In fact a good deal of the heavy garment remained on the belt and was consequently slashed to shreds by the knives. Sheamus looked at Rhianna's legs and smirked. Her skirt now ended in a jagged edge just above her knees.  
  
Rhianna became aware of his eyes on her newly exposed skin and blushed. "Don't look!" she cried.  
  
Sheamus laughed. "Don't worry, your Ladyship. I hear shorter hemlines are all the rage in Paris this year."  
  
"Aye, but not this short! This is.this is.scandalous!"  
  
A deep throaty chuckle issued from Sheamus's lips. His blue eyes smoldered as he took in the sight of her bare legs. "Aye well, scandal looks good on ye."  
  
Rhianna blushed again, feeling her heart race at the strange look in his eyes. She felt warm, and funny in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes flickered over his strong, muscled body and her knees shook. {It must be the danger we're in,} she reasoned, {that's making me feel this way.}  
  
{Speaking of danger.} She cleared her mind of her thoughts and looked at Sheamus. "So how do we get out of here?"  
  
Sheamus found a steel ladder behind them. "We go up."  
  
They were halfway up the ladder when the noise of the machine began to decrease. The gears and whirring blades slowed to a complete stop. A silence filled the air that was almost eerie after the constant hum of machinery.  
  
"NOW they turn off the machine." Sheamus remarked wryly.  
  
Moments later, the two were safe and sound outside the machine. Rhianna hurried to where men were wrapping Patrick's arm and head with makeshift bandages. "Okay, ye three take the carriage and get him to a hospital. Send a doctor back here to look at Sheamus." Rhianna instructed.  
  
The men left and she turned to the other workers. "Are all the machines shut down? Good. Now get home. You'll all be notified when it's time to come back." She looked out into the crowd.  
  
"Has anyone seen the foreman?" Fear seized her heart. Had something happened to Brian in the chaos? Had he also tried to save Patrick and gotten caught in the machine?  
  
"Why, I haven't seen him since this morning," a worker spoke up. The others all agreed.  
  
Rhianna frowned. Surely Brian should have been there. No matter where he was in the factory, he would've heard the alarm. He would've known something was wrong. "Thank ye. Now go home and be with your families. Say a prayer of thanks that today wasn't worse."  
  
After the men had left the building, Rhianna turned back to Sheamus. "All right then, let's have a look at that gash."  
  
Sheamus held his hands up. "No, don't. It's fine. See? Not even bleeding much now."  
  
"Aye, but it's still a nasty cut and ye could get an infection. So be a good boy and let me look at it." Sheamus scowled at Rhianna who simply laughed in return. She pointed at the floor. "Sit down before ye fall down."  
  
While Sheamus groaned his way into a sitting position, Rhianna grabbed the little first aid kit from the wall. She sat down beside him on the floor and searched for the best position in which to tend his wounds. "Hold on," she said as she wiggled into place behind him. She opened her legs and put them on either side of him.  
  
"Okay, now lean your head back on my lap."  
  
Sheamus moved until his head rested comfortably in her lap.  
  
"That's better," she murmured as their eyes met. She was fascinated by the amazing blue in his eyes. A silent minute passed while their eyes talked to each other. Their intense gaze seemed to ignite invisible sparks in the air between them.  
  
Rhianna broke contact and immersed herself in her duty as nurse. Her fingertips gently probed the skin around the wound. If she was affected by the contact, she didn't show it. Sheamus for his part simply closed his eyes and relaxed.  
  
"Hmmm, this looks pretty bad. You'll probably need stitches." She remarked as she gently cleaned the cut.  
  
"I must say I'm impressed. I would have thought you'd be sick at the sight of it."  
  
"What, this? This is nothing." She leaned forward and held her elbow in front of his face. "See this? 'Tis a scar from when I was seven and I fell out of a tree."  
  
"What were ye doing in a tree?"  
  
"I was climbing it." Rhianna replied in a 'hello idiot' tone of voice.  
  
"Did ye cry?"  
  
"Nae. Well, a little. Actually Sean cried more than I did. He felt my pain and was so afraid that I'd been hurt. That's how it usually was. Sean and I were always getting into some mischief and I was always the ringleader. Poor Sean, I've scared him so many times with the risks I've taken."  
  
Sheamus smiled, picturing the wild Rhianna as a child. "Not very ladylike."  
  
Rhianna smirked in return. "So who says I'm a lady?"  
  
"Your title, for one." He paused. "So, are ye okay? Ye weren't hurt, were ye?"  
  
"Hmm? Nae, I'm fine."  
  
Sheamus's concerned eyes bored into hers. "Ye sure? We had some close calls in there."  
  
Rhianna inhaled a deep quivering breath. "I can't think about that now. What about ye? You're the one who was almost decapitated."  
  
"I'm better now." Their eyes met again and there was no denying the electric charge in the air.  
  
Rhianna averted her eyes. "Ye saved my life."  
  
Sheamus closed his eyes as shame and anger washed over him. "Ye shouldn't have been in danger in the first place. I should have been the one to free Patrick. Ye were almost killed because I didn't act fast enough."  
  
Rhianna continued dressing his wound. "So what happened?"  
  
A long pause followed. "I froze." He said simply.  
  
Rhianna quietly mulled this information over. "This.has happened before, hasn't it? A worker getting trapped in the machines."  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Brian and Mr. Pearse told me that there have been accidents, but that they weren't serious."  
  
"They lied," he said softly.  
  
"Tell me.why ye froze."  
  
Rhianna was stunned by the naked pain that flashed in his eyes. He quickly shuttered them, closed off his emotions. "My da died on that machine," he said simply, unemotionally. But the slight quiver in his voice gave him away, betrayed the depth of his grief.  
  
Rhianna's mouth fell open. {His father died here? On one of the machines?} She had known their father was dead, but now how. "Och, Sheamus, I'm so sorry.I.."  
  
"Don't be. It happened a long time ago. I'm over it."  
  
"Sheamus."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it!" He said harshly as he struggled to get up from Rhianna's lap.  
  
"Okay, we won't talk about it." She soothed with a gentle hand on his arm. "But tell me, have there been others?"  
  
"Aye, not as many deaths though as injuries. Usually people just lose a hand or an arm."  
  
"Good Lord," she moaned in horror. She clamped a hand down over her mouth.  
  
"These machines are very dangerous - you've seen that first hand now. That particular model earned the nickname Widowmaker."  
  
"Why didn't they tell me?" she murmured.  
  
"The real tragedy is that there are newer, safer machines available - and have been for quite some time. Your father just didn't want to spend the money on them." He said coldly.  
  
Rhianna snapped her head up. "What? No! I can't believe that. If my father didn't buy the newer models it's because he didn't have the money."  
  
Sheamus reached out and caressed her ears. "That's a nice pair of emerald earrings you're wearing. Worth a pretty penny, I'll wager."  
  
She jerked her head back from his burning touch. "Your point?"  
  
"My point is that even though your father drank away all the company's profits, there was still money to be had from other resources. He just didn't want to spend it."  
  
Rhianna blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from her angry eyes. "Ye didn't know my father." She said softly.  
  
"And ye did?"  
  
She broke off her gaze and stared at her hands, tightly clenched in her lap.  
  
"Look, my father died because your father didn't want to spend money on necessary upgrades. You'll forgive me for being bitter. I believe I've earned it." He sighed and his voice became softer, gentler. "The question is, what are ye going to do now? Although I have my suspicions about this particular incident, the fact remains that these machines are too dangerous to continue using."  
  
Rhianna looked up. "Wait, suspicions? What do ye mean?"  
  
"Rhianna, that was MY machine Patrick was using. If ye hadn't pulled me away for that meeting, it would've been me trapped in there."  
  
Rhianna shivered as cold shock crept up her spine. "No, Patrick just got his sleeve caught on a gear. It was an accident."  
  
Sheamus got to his feet. "Here, let me show ye something." Rhianna followed him over to the machines. He pointed to his machine, #3. "See anything wrong?"  
  
She stared at the machine for a minute and finally shrugged. "Nae I don't, sorry."  
  
He pulled her over to #4. "This is the same model - do ye see anything different from #3?"  
  
She looked back and forth at the two machines. Finally she pointed to #4. "What's this? It's not on your machine."  
  
"This is a gear guard. It is a protective shield that rests over the spinning gear on the platform. It keeps clothing from getting caught on the gear. Without this guard in place, it's just a matter of time before a sleeve or a hand gets caught on the gear."  
  
"What happened to your gear guard? Did it break off?"  
  
"I highly doubt it. The guard was securely screwed on, and as you can see the screws are still there. Someone removed the guard."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
Sheamus laughed humorlessly. It had finally sunk in how close he'd come to death. "I guess our saboteur REALLY wants me out of the way."  
  
Rhianna nodded, shivering. She had come so close to losing Sheamus and the thought filled her with fear and sadness.  
  
Sheamus noticed her distress. He wordlessly wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "It's okay. We made it. I'm fine, you're fine."  
  
But Rhianna continued to shake as her earlier shock wore off. They had both almost died. "We have to find this guy, Sheamus."  
  
"We will." 


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Eighteen  
  
"Mr. Callahan, have ye seen Miss Brady?"  
  
The groundskeeper looked up from the bushes he'd been pruning. "Aye Sean. She's down at the pond. Liam's showing her the new baby ducks."  
  
"Thank ye, Mr. Callahan."  
  
Sean walked toward the pond and felt his spirit come alive. It was spring. A time of rebirth, of renewal. Everything was so fresh, and alive. His heart swelled with pride as he looked on the beauty of the old estate. The grass was a deep lush green, punctuated here and there by fields of wild clover. The trees were covered with fragrant blossoms. He walked by the vegetable gardens, with their rows of newly tilled soil. Mr. Callahan would be planting seeds soon.  
  
The air was filled with the calls of various animals. Chickens clucked and roosters crowed. Occasionally, a goat would bleat. Liam, the young boy who cared for the livestock, would soon have his little hands full.  
  
Sean chuckled. {Baby ducks} Soon it would be baby chicks, kids, kittens and puppies, and who knew what else. Spring. Birth and rebirth.  
  
He walked by the old vineyards. Here the grapevines were overgrown in a wild, tangled mess. That was his next project. He wanted to begin making wine again. The Cassidy Estate had been well known for its wine in the past. {But all that takes money.} He reminded himself. Well, that would soon be taken care of.  
  
Finally he neared the small pond and her voice filled the air. It was such a light, musical sound that Sean wished the voice would never quit.  
  
"Liam Callahan, stop it! I'm trying to stay dry." Laughter. "Liam, if I have to come after ye, you're going to be sorry!" Her singsong voice showed that she wasn't angry.  
  
They came into view as Sean neared the pond. He stifled a laugh. Both Elizabeth and the boy were wading in the pond, water up to their knees. On the shore stood a line of fluffy white ducklings all quacking loudly.  
  
"Like this, duckies!" Liam cried as he smacked the surface of the water, laughing.  
  
Elizabeth laughed. "We don't have to teach them how to swim. See, their mother is already leading them into the pond." They watched as the ducklings followed the mother duck into the water. "See? They don't need any help."  
  
Sean could see the pout on the boy's face. "But I want to be the mother. I want to teach them how to swim."  
  
"Don't worry, Liam," Sean said as he came up to the pond, making his presence known. "There are still plenty of animals around here ye can be mother to. Have ye fed the chickens, yet?"  
  
Liam's face brightened. "I'll do that now!" he cried and ran off as fast as his little legs would carry him.  
  
Elizabeth chuckled as he took off. "That's quite a worker ye have there. He doesn't even know it's work."  
  
"Aye, he and his father have been a great help to us. Mr. Callahan is the only original servant left."  
  
"I heard about his wife. So sad."  
  
"Aye. I can't imagine how hard it must be; a widower with a young son. But as long as I'm alive, he and Liam will always have a home here."  
  
Elizabeth looked at her employer. "That's so generous of ye."  
  
Sean shrugged. "In many ways they're the only family Ree and I have left. Besides, Mr. Callahan keeps the place running. He grows all the food we eat and Liam cares for the livestock. I really couldn't make it without them."  
  
Sean paused as his eyes took in Elizabeth's state of dress. Her skirt had been tucked in between her legs, leaving them bare at the knees. He watched in fascination as water droplets rolled down her bare calves.  
  
Elizabeth blushed, ashamed to have been caught in such a state by her employer. "Och, I'm so sorry," she cried as she came forward out of the water.  
  
"Don't be. In fact," Sean added with a wicked gleam in his eyes, "I believe I'll join ye." He took off his shoes and socks and rolled his pants up to his knees. He inhaled deeply and a goofy grin crossed his face. How he loved the feel of the cool dirt between his toes. He walked forward into the water. It was cool, but not cold.  
  
He rolled his shoulders, feeling the old tension slide off. "Och, 'tis been forever since I did this," he sighed. He kicked his legs in the water as he walked. Splish splosh.  
  
Elizabeth looked at Sean with a slight frown on her face. "Sean, (they had gone back to calling each other by their Christian names) how old are ye?"  
  
"Sixteen."  
  
"Really, because the way ye talk, ye sound like you're an old man."  
  
Sean stared at her in mock disbelief. "Me, an old man?"  
  
"Aye. Ye walk around like the fate of the world rests on your shoulders. How is it that it's been "forever" since ye did this?"  
  
Sean shrugged sheepishly. "I don't know. I've just never had the chance. My life hasn't been very easy, ye know."  
  
"Right, meanwhile my life has been a walk in the park," she reminded him.  
  
He glanced at her as she walked beside him. "So, how are ye doing?"  
  
Elizabeth smiled sadly. "Some days are better than others. Today.it's not so bad."  
  
Sean nodded silently. He could tell Elizabeth didn't really want to talk so he decided to take her mind off her grief. "So what do I do to keep from being an old man?" he asked with a smile.  
  
Elizabeth laughed. "Well, ye can start by doing this more often."  
  
"I think I can manage that."  
  
Elizabeth cocked a blonde eyebrow. "Are ye sure? Ye don't mind if people see the great lord of the castle wading barefoot in the pond?" she teased.  
  
Sean gazed into her eyes. "Not as long as I have company."  
  
Elizabeth's heart quickened with his words. Her wide blue eyes stared back at his, unblinking. Why did she always feel this way whenever he was around? She broke contact and averted her eyes.  
  
Sean fought to recover from the charged moment and looked away. Unfortunately, he wasn't watching his feet and he slipped on a twig. He lost his balance and fell backward into the pond. There was a giant SPLASH and when the water settled there was Sean sitting in the water. Only his head, shoulders and knees were visible.  
  
"(laugh) Are you (laugh) okay? (laugh)" Elizabeth managed to get out.  
  
Sean chuckled and stood to his feet. His clothes were now a soaked, muddy mess. He looked at Elizabeth who was still laughing. He grinned as an evil thought took shape.  
  
"Laugh at me, will ye?" he asked as he came toward her.  
  
Elizabeth held out her arms to fend him off. She laughed as she struggled half-heartedly against him.  
  
"I'll teach ye not to laugh at me!" he cried laughing as they both fell into the pond.  
  
"Aaaaah!" she shrieked as they splashed into the water. She sent Sean her evil eye. "Sean Cassidy, I will get ye for this!"  
  
He laughed and swam away from her. She followed him into the middle of the pond. There they engaged in a rousing splash fight that had them both laughing tears.  
  
"Peace!" Sean cried as he held up his arms. "I surrender."  
  
"Gasp! The great lord of the manor surrendering to a lowly maid?" she teased, her blue eyes strangely smoky.  
  
He stared at her then. Her wet hair hung off her head in limp ringlets. Water gleamed and sparkled off her face. And her large blue eyes were staring back at him. She had never been so appealing, so desirable as she was in that moment.  
  
His hand reached forward with a will of its own. His fingers brushed the hair out of her face, caressed her cheek, and danced across her full lips. "You're more than a maid to me, Beth," he whispered.  
  
She gazed at him in wonder while her stomach did flip-flops. His lips fell forward, also moving of their own will. Her eyes fluttered shut as she prepared to receive his kiss.  
  
But the kiss never came. An image flashed in Sean's mind and he was again reminded of his plans. He remembered his reason for seeking Elizabeth and stopped. He sighed audibly and tried to distance himself from the girl before him. Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes. She stared at Sean with confused eyes.  
  
He took a measured step away from her. He avoided her eyes at all costs. "I'm sorry," he choked out. He cleared his throat. "I apologize for my actions, Elizabeth. My behavior was uncalled for and inappropriate."  
  
The confused girl continued to stare at him. What had happened? She had been so sure he cared for her, but once again he had changed. Why? His cold words ripped at her heart. But his next words would break it. "I was looking for you to tell you that we will be having a guest in two weeks. She will be staying with us through the summer. I need you to prepare a suite for her. Her name is Miss Miriam Lockeheart and if all goes well, she will be my bride."  
  
"That's the last one."  
  
Rhianna gazed in wonder at the shiny new machine. "They're beautiful," she breathed.  
  
"That they certainly are," Sheamus agreed.  
  
"When will they be ready to run?"  
  
"I'm going to do test runs tomorrow. If all goes well, we'll be open again on Monday."  
  
{A whole week,} Rhianna thought. {That will be a whole week that our factory was shut down - not producing parts.} But there really was no choice. The machines had to be replaced. She couldn't allow workers to risk their lives on the old death traps.  
  
The hardest part had been scrounging the money together for the newer models. Cassidy's had only just begun making a profit again and simply could not afford the large expense. Rhianna was also dead set against taking money from the estate, although Sean would have given it to her had she asked. So she set out to get a business loan.  
  
It hadn't been easy. Banks didn't want to do business with her. Finally she got a loan, but she had to put the factory down as collateral. That was the hardest decision she had ever made. If something happened and she couldn't pay back the loan, the business would be taken away from her. But as Sheamus had said, "You don't have a business without the machines anyway." So she knew she didn't have a choice. She would just have to be sure to make all her payments on time.  
  
So they had spent a few days in ordering and installing the machines. Now they needed to devote time to another pressing matter; finding the saboteur. Rhianna was reminded of something Sheamus had said earlier. He had made a comment about how money seemed to disappear from the company. She had remembered then the ledger books, which she had been unable to balance.  
  
Rhianna spent the next few days buried in the books while Sheamus tested the machines. She double-checked every entry and triple checked the math. But nothing. She despaired of ever finding the mistake.  
  
But finally, late Friday evening, she found where large amounts of money had been moving through the petty cash account. Petty cash was supposed to be used for small purchases. But instead there were large amounts going through the account. And no receipts she could find to explain the purchases. She dug into the trail of money, wondering who it would lead back to.  
  
"Oh no!" she gasped in horror. "Not him!" 


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Nineteen  
  
"Oh, Rhianna, I can't tell ye how relieved I am that ye weren't hurt."  
  
Rhianna smiled as she looked up from her papers. "Thank ye, Brian. Aye, I was very fortunate."  
  
Brian walked over to her, his eyes filled with pain. He took her hand in his. "Fortunate? It was a miracle ye weren't killed. Rhianna, when I think of what almost happened."  
  
Rhianna placed her hand on Brian's strong shoulder. "Don't think about it Brian. It's over and I'm okay. I was wondering though, where were ye?"  
  
Brian closed his eyes, his guilt and shame visible on his features. "I had decided to run errands during my lunch break. I was gone longer than I had planned and when I came back the factory had been shut down and there was no one here. I didn't find out what happened until that evening. It tore me apart, Rhianna. I should have been here. Ye were almost killed while I was about town." He gazed into her eyes and caressed her cheek. "Thank the sweet Lord Sheamus was there."  
  
Rhianna's face soured. She sighed heavily. "He saved my life, no doubt about that. Unfortunately, I had to let him go."  
  
"What? Again? Why?" Brian asked, secretly thrilled. What could have happened to cause Rhianna to fire Sheamus?  
  
Rhianna slumped into her chair. "I found out that he had been stealing money from the company. He admitted it. He apparently had been taking money to help his ailing mother. As sad as it was, I had to let him go."  
  
Brian was stunned, albeit pleased at the turn of events. No doubt his boss would be pleased. Maybe he would forgive Brian for his failure the other day. {How was I supposed to know Sheamus would let someone else run his machine?} But in any case now that Sheamus was out of the picture, he could breathe easier. "It must have been very hard for ye. I know ye cared for his mother deeply. But ye did the right thing. It's what's best for the company's health."  
  
Rhianna smiled. "I know. And speaking of our company's health, this week is vitally important. We were out an entire week replacing the machines. That's a week of lost sales and unhappy customers. We HAVE to make this week's shipment. It has to be perfect and on time or all of our customers will leave us. If that happens, I will have no choice but to give up and marry Mr. Dimera. So ye understand how crucial this week is?"  
  
Brian smiled darkly. "I understand perfectly."  
  
It was night and the building was enveloped by darkness. A dark figure crept up to the factory's back door and quietly opened it. Once inside he lit a small lamp and walked stealthily across the factory floor. He stopped in front of a large machine. The flickering lamplight cast evil shadows on his face.  
  
He opened the machine's side panel and peered at the complex parts. "She's a beauty, that's for sure," he said, admiring the new machine's sleek contours and shiny metal. "Tis almost a shame to wreck it. Almost." With an evil smile, he got to work.  
  
"A little late for repairs, isn't it?" a voice said loudly in the room.  
  
The factory's lights came on, illuminating the dark scene. Brian stood in front of a half dismantled machine blinking against the bright light. Brian froze. He watched as Rhianna stepped forward. He saw the hurt betrayal in her eyes and knew he'd been caught.  
  
"I didn't want to believe it was ye," she said. "Not even when the truth was right in front of me."  
  
Brian swallowed as his mind raced, searching for an explanation.  
  
Rhianna continued. "How long ago was it, Brian? How long ago did Dimera buy ye? Or were ye always his, a spy from the very beginning?"  
  
"Rhianna," he soothed, "what are ye talking about? Tis obvious something has ye upset. Let's talk about it." He reached forward to caress her hair.  
  
She stepped back and Brian could see the cold fire that blazed in her green eyes. "I'm sorry, but your sweet words aren't going to work on me anymore. My eyes have been opened to what ye really are. You've been working for Dimera all this time, working to bring down my company from within. It was ye all this time. The damaged parts, damaged machines, missing money - all you. That's how I discovered ye, by the way. You've been moving money through the petty cash account. A dollar here, five dollars there - all adding up to thousands of dollars you've embezzled from my company.  
  
Well, I must admit, ye had me fooled. I never would have believed ye capable of something so.low, so evil," she said coldly.  
  
"Like ye have any right to judge me!" he cried. "Rhianna Cassidy, the little princess with her castles and servants and family fortune. Ye don't know what it's like to have to work and slave all your life - even as a child - to provide for a family of eight! I was desperate for the money and I would have done anything to get it."  
  
Rhianna looked at him sadly. "Well, I hope Dimera made it worth your while, because ye are going to be in jail for a long time."  
  
Brian's eyes darkened and he took a menacing step toward her. "Not if no one finds out." He pulled out a sharp, deadly looking knife. "It's just you and me, all alone."  
  
"Not quite." A third voice, male, said behind him. Brian spun to find Sheamus behind him, his face deadly calm.  
  
Brian shrieked with rage and attacked Sheamus with the knife. Sheamus sidestepped the attack and knocked the knife out of his hand. Rhianna watched horrified as the two exchanged blows. Soon though, Brian lay on the ground looking up as Sheamus advanced on him. Sheamus's knuckles were white with a murderous fury.  
  
"Ye bastard!" he yelled. "Rhianna almost died because of you!"  
  
Rhianna laid a restraining hand on his arm. "Aye, but I didn't die, thanks to ye. It's okay, Sheamus, the police will be here soon."  
  
In fact they were already there. Rhianna turned as two officers entered the factory.  
  
"Lady Cassidy," they greeted her with a touch of their caps. "How can we help ye?"  
  
Rhianna pointed to Brian, who was angrily wiping the blood from his mouth. "This man has been embezzling from my company and has recklessly endangered the lives of my workers. We just caught him trying to sabotage our machines."  
  
The policemen led Brian away amid his protests of innocence. Rhianna watched silently as they left. She didn't want to believe him guilty. Not even as he was tearing apart her brand new machine. "He lied to me," she murmured, feeling sadness and betrayal wash over her. She had trusted him, cared for him and he lied to her.  
  
Sheamus watched her, wondering what was going through her mind. He knew she and Brian had been close. {Did she love him?} he wondered.  
  
"He lied to me," she said again as her eyes filled with tears of pain and betrayal.  
  
Sheamus wrapped his arms around Rhianna's stiff body. He stroked her hair and gently rubbed her shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said softly.  
  
Rhianna looked up at his face. She smiled. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't see through his façade earlier. Ye were almost seriously hurt because of him." She reached up and gently traced the light scar on his temple.  
  
Sheamus inhaled a sharp breath at her feather light touch. His eyes darkened to liquid pools of cobalt. His breath quickened and his blood raced. He unconsciously licked his lips.  
  
Rhianna continued her gentle caress, spellbound by the man in front of her. Her fingers began to dance, just a little, in his wavy blond locks. She stared into his eyes, fascinated by the intense shimmery blue. Her eyes darted to his lips, now wet with moisture.  
  
Rhianna inhaled a shaky breath. What was happening to her? Her blood ran both icy cold and fiery hot. Brian had never made her feel this way - so dangerous, wanton. She was sure it must be wrong. Wasn't that what the church had always taught her?  
  
She didn't move when Sheamus's lips moved forward with a will of their own. She was held in place, captivated by the strange sensation. His lips slowly moved toward hers and she stared wide-eyed into his smoldering eyes. Closer now, and her lips parted. Closer.  
  
{No!} she thought and pulled away from him, her heart beating wildly. {No, this is wrong.} She struggled to regain her composure while Sheamus did the same.  
  
Rhianna looked at Sheamus, carefully avoiding his eyes. "So, I'll se ye tomorrow then. Goodnight." And she turned and walked out of the building.  
  
Sheamus watched her leave with disappointed eyes. He thought about their intense exchange, their almost kiss. "Damn!" he muttered.  
  
"Brian?! Ye mean the foreman - he's the saboteur?"  
  
Rhianna nodded. "He's been working for Dimera the whole time."  
  
"Dimera? He's been behind the problems at Cassidy's? Ye mean, he was behind the accident with the machines, the accident that nearly took your life?" Sean shuddered. "I knew that man was evil, but this." He wrapped his arms around his sister. "Oh, Ree, I'm so sorry about Brian. I know ye really cared for him."  
  
Rhianna smiled and broke out of their embrace. "I'll be okay. I'm more ashamed than anything else right now. I really trusted him, Sean, and he was lying to me the entire time. I believed his loving words and gentle caresses. And he was just.playing a game with me. I don't know that I can ever trust another man again."  
  
"What about Sheamus? Do ye trust him?"  
  
Rhianna considered it. "Aye. Especially now that I know Brian was behind everything. He's a good hard worker - I can depend on him."  
  
"Is that it?"  
  
"Is that what?"  
  
"Is that the extent of your feelings for Sheamus? Do ye care for him?" Sean probed.  
  
She turned away from her brother as if to shield her secret thoughts. Memories from just earlier that night flooded her mind. She was in Sheamus's arms, caressing his face, playing with his hair. And then that wonderful chaotic feeling when his lips moved to meet hers. It had felt so good she was sure it must be wrong, so she pulled away before he could kiss her, cursing herself as she did so.  
  
"Rhianna?" Sean prompted.  
  
"I.care," she answered softly.  
  
"Ree," Sean sighed and shook his head.  
  
Rhianna whirled around to meet him. She had heard the disappointment in his voice. "What? Sean, he saved my business more times than I can count. He saved my life!"  
  
Sean paled, remembering the horror of learning of Rhianna's close call with the machines. He had come so close to losing his sister and the thought of that still shook him to his core. "I know and for that I can never repay him. Look, I like Sheamus. It's just.not too long ago ye cared for Brian. Is it possible you're just putting all these old feelings onto Sheamus? Anyway, none of that matters now. What we have to focus on is breaking this ridiculous engagement to Dimera."  
  
"Breaking the engagement - but what about the money we need?"  
  
"Cassidy Industries doesn't need money now. It's making a profit, right? You're getting ready to expand and it's on the brink of become the huge success it once was, and more."  
  
"Aye, but what about the estate? What about the repairs and restoration ye wanted to do?"  
  
"Don't worry about the estate - I'll get the money. Ye cannot marry that man, Ree."  
  
Rhianna nodded. "I'll talk to Father Thomas and see what steps we need to take to annul the betrothal."  
  
Sean watched his sister leave, a fresh determination surging through him. "I'm sorry, Beth. But there's no way I can let Ree marry Dimera now. I can't be with ye, no matter what my heart says." 


	21. Chapter Twenty

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty  
  
"Hello, my child. How may I help ye?"  
  
"Father, I seek council in the matter of my betrothal."  
  
Father Thomas led Rhianna to a pew in the empty church. Rhianna clasped her hands together in her lap. "Father, I learned something horrible about the man I am to marry. He hired one of my workers to sabotage my company from within. He embezzled from the company and tried to kill one of my workers! Father, what can I do? I cannot marry this man."  
  
"My child, this is a serious accusation. Have ye any proof?"  
  
"Aye. My foreman, the worker in question, admitted to everything. He is in jail as we speak."  
  
"Aye, but, have ye any proof to support your claims against Mr. Dimera? Have ye brought charges against him?"  
  
"They can't arrest him. All we have are the foreman's words."  
  
"My dear, I believe that a man who had just been discovered stealing from his employer would probably say anything to cast blame on someone else. I'm afraid I don't se how Mr. Dimera is responsible."  
  
"I know he is. I just don't have any proof." Rhianna gazed up into the minister's eyes. "Still, isn't there a way to break the betrothal? Sean is my guardian. Can't he do something? Annul it somehow?"  
  
"Well, yes, he can, but Rhianna, Mr. Dimera can take care of ye, provide for ye and your brother. I know that the estate is in dire need of money, and what about the company?"  
  
"Well, we've begun to make a profit and even though we recently had to take out a business loan, I know we'll succeed. And as for the estate, well, we've lived this long without the extra money Dimera would bring. We'll just have to do without a few things. Besides, Father, I'd rather be dirt poor than marry him. He, he frightens me."  
  
Father Thomas closed his eyes as a look of sadness crossed his face. He seemed to be fighting some internal battle. Finally he sighed and opened his eyes. "Rhianna, my child, why did ye ever agree to marry him?"  
  
"It was my father - he made the arrangement."  
  
"But ye did go along with it, didn't ye? Didn't ye stand here in this very church and make a vow before God that ye would marry him?"  
  
Rhianna's shoulders slumped. "Aye," she said dejectedly.  
  
"Rhianna, the church takes the act of betrothal very seriously. As far as the church is concerned, ye are already married. The only reason why ye aren't already married is out of consideration for your tender age."  
  
Father Thomas stared deeply into her eyes. "I'm afraid that the church will not allow ye to break your engagement. Ye must marry Mr. Dimera. If ye don't, then ye will be excommunicated, removed from the church. And ye know what that means."  
  
Rhianna's heart sank. "I won't be able to enter into Heaven; my soul will be lost," she whispered.  
  
"Aye." Father Thomas lifted Rhianna's chin and smiled. "Cheer up, my child. Mr. Dimera is a good man, well respected in this town. And he loves ye very much. He'll take good care of ye."  
  
" I don't love him."  
  
"Maybe not now, but you'll grow to love him. Besides, our hearts are fickle, easily swayed. The man ye love today, you'll hate tomorrow. Do ye really want to risk your eternal soul over something so fleeting?"  
  
Rhianna bowed her head, remembering how easily she'd been tricked by Brian's "love". Maybe he was right and there was no such thing as love. "No," she answered.  
  
"Then you'll marry Mr. Dimera on the appointed day?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Good girl. Now if you'll excuse me, my child, I have duties to perform."  
  
Father Thomas watched the despondent girl leave with a look of shame and remorse in his eyes. He stared after her for a moment and then turned and entered the confessional booth.  
  
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," he said to the man on the other side of the confessional wall. "I lied to an innocent young girl for financial gain."  
  
The screen opened to reveal Alexander Dimera's grinning face on the other side of the dividing wall. "And you did a great job. Here's the fee we discussed," he handed the priest a bag filled with coins. "I know the church will be glad for a new roof."  
  
After Dimera left, Father Thomas counted the money while guilt ate at his stomach. "How ironic, I ruined the girl's life for thirty pieces of silver. (sigh) I have to do something."  
  
"Due to unfortunate circumstances, Mr. Flaherty is no longer employed here at Cassidy's. Mr. Brady is taking his place as foreman. I know that ye will give him the same respect and hard work ye gave Mr. Flaherty. Now we have a big week ahead of us so let's get to it." Rhianna dismissed the men to their duties. She walked past Sheamus without a word and headed to her office.  
  
Sheamus frowned. She hadn't spoken a word to him all morning. She wore a strange expression on her face, like the one she wore at her father's funeral. She seemed as if all joy and happiness had been sucked out of her, leaving her cold, emotionless. He vowed to find out what was wrong with her.  
  
He spent a few minutes looking over the employees. When he was satisfied that all was operating smoothly he went to the office. There was no answer at his soft knock so he slowly opened the door. His heart twisted at what he saw.  
  
Rhianna sat at her desk staring out the window. Her sad eyes were distant and cloudy. She had the look of one ho had resigned herself to death.  
  
Sheamus was puzzled by her behavior. She should be happy - they found the saboteur, bought new machines, the company's future was looking brighter than ever. So why did she seem so despondent?  
  
"Is something wrong?" his soft question broke the silence.  
  
Rhianna inhaled deeply and tore her gaze away from the window. She straightened her shoulders and turned to Sheamus with a look of cold stone in her eyes. "Everything's fine, Mr. Brady."  
  
{So we're back to proper names, now,} he noted. "Are ye sure, Lady Cassidy? Ye seem a little.sad."  
  
She hastily averted her eyes. It was so hard to look at him now, especially after their almost kiss. It was a cruel reminder of something she could never have, never really experience: passion.  
  
Sheamus pulled up a chair and sat down facing her. "How did he take it?"  
  
Rhianna looked up, puzzled by the sudden shift in conversation. "How did who take what?"  
  
"Dimera. I assume ye broke it off - that is why you're so upset?"  
  
Rhianna dropped her gaze again. "No, I haven't told him."  
  
Sheamus studied her with narrowed eyes. "Something tells me you're not going to."  
  
Her silence spoke volumes. Sheamus jumped to his feet. "I cannot believe ye are even thinking about marrying that man! Have ye lost your mind?"  
  
Rhianna stood up. "I fail to see how my engagement is any business of yours," she said hotly.  
  
"He tried to kill me!" he yelled. "That makes it my business. Not to mention the fact that ye were very nearly killed in the process." He gripped her shoulders. "Ye cannot marry him, Rhianna," he pleaded softly. "That man is evil."  
  
She shook his hands off of her. It was hard enough just being around him, with the way he made her feel. She just couldn't handle his touch; his touch that made her stomach lurch, that made her dream things no good Catholic girl should be dreaming. She tried to clear her mind, to shake off the effect he had on her.  
  
"Ye think I don't know he's evil? My skin crawls whenever I'm near him, and when he touches me." she shuddered with revulsion. "I have no choice," she said softly.  
  
Sheamus threw his hands up in disbelief. "Ye have no choice?! Is someone point a sword at your heart? Of course ye have a choice. Just don't marry him. It's that simple."  
  
"Maybe to someone who doesn't go to church, who doesn't care what happens to their eternal soul. My standing in the church is very important to me. I won't jeopardize that for anything."  
  
"Not even for love?" he asked softly as his blue eyes bore into hers.  
  
Rhianna's heart quickened despite herself. "Love? What is that? I thought I loved Brian. I thought he loved me," she said; hurt flashing her in her watery eyes. "If that's love, then I don't need it," she finished softly.  
  
He took a step toward her and reached out for her. "That wasn't love."  
  
She allowed him to touch her, tired of fighting it. She momentarily gave into his sweet caress and the things he made her feel.  
  
She stared up at him, wide eyed. "And I suppose you're going to show me what love is?"  
  
Sheamus stepped back, faltering. He wasn't ready to admit his feelings for her. In fact, he was positive that he felt nothing towards her. She was just a means to an end. "I.I."  
  
Rhianna's face hardened. "No, I didn't think so. Besides, 'tis a moot point, remember? Eternal damnation and all that." She sat back down at her desk. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do and I believe ye do too."  
  
Sheamus exited the room and leaned on the closed office door. Somehow he had to break their engagement. This was about more than just gaining control of the factory; it was about saving Rhianna. The thought of her marrying that old man, sharing a bed with him, made Sheamus's stomach heave. Once again he saw Rhianna in his mind as a beautiful caged bird longing for freedom.  
  
"I'll free ye, Rhianna. I promise ye that."  
  
Elizabeth stood in front of her parents' grave. She smiled sadly at the tombstone. "Hi Mum, Da, it's me. Just stopping by to tell ye I'm doing fine. Sheamus is doing well - working hard. He got promoted. He's the foreman now, and they put in new machines too. I'm working hard too. Mum, I don't know how ye did it, managing this place. It's hard work, but I'm managing. I brought ye your favorite flowers." She knelt and placed the daisies on her mother's grave. She straightened up and wiped her eyes.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll be going now. I love ye both and I miss ye terribly. I'll see ye soon." She turned to go but stopped when a small head topped with curly brown hair peeked over the top of a headstone.  
  
"Hi Liam," she called to the young boy.  
  
He came forward. "Who were ye talking to?" he asked.  
  
She pointed to her parents' graves. "I was talking to my parents. They're in heaven."  
  
The boy pondered this. "My mum's in Heaven. Da told me so."  
  
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, she is."  
  
"Do people in Heaven ever come back?"  
  
She smiled sadly. "No, they don't."  
  
Liam's large blue eyes filled with tears. "Why not? Doesn't Mum want to come back? Doesn't she love me?"  
  
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his little body. She tried to explain to him as he cried large, wet tears into her neck. She held him and rocked him as her own rears slipped from her eyes.  
  
"I want my mum!" he cried.  
  
"I do too."  
  
"Mr. Callahan, what can I do for ye?" Sean greeted the groundskeeper.  
  
"Have ye seen Liam?"  
  
"Nae, I haven't. Anything wrong?"  
  
Mr. Callahan sighed. "He's turning five, and is just starting to wonder where his mother is. He was so young when Maeve died, yet he does have some memories of her. Anyway I tried to explain that she was dead, that she had gone to Heaven and he became upset and ran off. I've been trying to find him."  
  
"I'll help ye look."  
  
{Poor kid,} Sean thought as he searched the estate. {I certainly know what he's going through.} He too had lost his mother at an early age. {It's hard trying to understand death at that age. Well, we'll just have to see him through it. We'll be his family.}  
  
He stopped suddenly when he saw them. Elizabeth was holding Liam in her arms. They were under a large willow tree and appeared to be sleeping. Sean walked closer, careful not to make a noise.  
  
He stood for many minutes just watching them. His heart twisted in sympathy for their tear stained cheeks. He noticed that the tree was near the cemetery and that they were facing the graves of Elizabeth's parents.  
  
Sean was moved in pity. He knew that Elizabeth made frequent visits to her parents' graves. {She must have bumped into Liam here.}  
  
He smiled, noticing how Elizabeth cradled the boy in her arms. She held him so naturally, like she was born to be a mother. Liam's head rested on her chest. His dark eyelashes fluttered against his white cheek. {She would be a wonderful mother.} Sean was surprised to find that the thought filled him with desire. He imagined her as the mother of his children. He envisioned her beautifully rounded curves as she carried his child.  
  
He shook his head to clear his mind. {That's not going to happen, Sean.}  
  
Suddenly, Elizabeth snapped awake. Sean noticed that she instinctively tightened her arms around Liam - as if shielding him from some unknown danger. Her eyes focused on Sean and she became more alert.  
  
She blushed at having been caught napping. "I'm sorry," she moved to stand up.  
  
Sean chuckled. "Don't worry about it. I've taken many an afternoon nap myself. I was actually looking for Liam here. His father's worried about him."  
  
Liam woke up at hearing his name.  
  
"Hey, sleepy Liam, your Da's looking for ye." Sean affectionately ruffled the boy's curly brown locks.  
  
Liam wiggled out of Elizabeth's arms. "Thank ye," he said simply. He planted a wet kiss on her cheek and scampered off.  
  
Elizabeth laughed s she wiped the moisture form her cheek. "Children; they certainly are resilient."  
  
"Aye, they certainly are."  
  
Elizabeth stood to her feet and brushed off her dress. An awkward silence followed as both searched for something to say to the other. Their relationship had been strained since their encounter at the pond.  
  
Elizabeth broke the silence. "Well, I've taken a long enough break. There's still much to be done to prepare for Miss Lockeheart's arrival."  
  
Sean watched her leave and regret filled him. {Am I doing the right thing?} he wondered. Then he remembered Rhianna and Dimera and knew he was. 


	22. Chapter TwentyOne

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-One  
  
"Ye wanted to see me, Father?"  
  
Father Thomas looked up at the young man. He seemed somewhat uncomfortable inside the church.  
  
"Sheamus, thank ye for agreeing to meet me." The two men chose a polished pew and sat down.  
  
"What's this about, Father?"  
  
"It's about Rhianna. Ye know of her engagement, I presume?"  
  
Sheamus's face darkened. "Aye, I've heard."  
  
"She cannot marry that man, Sheamus. He's evil. Trust me, I know a thing or two about it. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about it; my hands are tied. Rhianna vowed to marry him, she has to go through with it if she wants to remain in the church."  
  
Sheamus stared at the priest, fresh anger surging through him. "So what does this have to do with me?"  
  
"I can't do anything to help her, but ye can."  
  
"Me? What can I do?"  
  
"Tell me, Sheamus, how do ye feel about Rhianna?"  
  
"Well, uh, she's my employer."  
  
Father Thomas smiled. "Somehow I don't think that's the extent of your feelings for her."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Father."  
  
"The two of ye were made for each other. You're just as stubborn as she is. Unfortunately, we don't have the time for the two of ye to catch a clue and realize what the rest of us already know."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Ye love her. I had my doubts about ye, still do, in fact. But the Ladies think very highly of ye. What I'm about to do goes against everything I believe, but Rhianna's future, her life is at stake."  
  
Sheamus looked at the priest gravely. "What can I do?"  
  
The father inhaled deeply. "As I said, the church takes betrothal very seriously. However, there are instances where the church would annul such an arrangement. If, for example, Rhianna had done something that would require her to marry someone else, then her engagement with Dimera would be broken in favor of the other union."  
  
Sheamus frowned in confusion. "I'm not quite following ye, Father."  
  
"Rhianna is.pure, innocent. Should that change, then Rhianna would have to marry the man she had.given her innocence to."  
  
Understanding dawned on Sheamus. "Ye want me to.seduce her?" he asked incredulously.  
  
"If I thought that ye would have to resort to seduction then we wouldn't be having this conversation. We're here because I truly believe despite your thick skulls, that the two of ye love each other. All I'm suggesting is for ye to find a way to bring that love to fruition. Then she would have no choice but to marry ye. Assuming of course, that ye wouldn't mind having to marry a young, beautiful, noblewoman with a business in her possession."  
  
Sheamus couldn't believe his ears. This was the answer he'd been looking for. He could save Rhianna from having to marry Dimera. {And get the factory,} he reminded himself quickly. {That's why you're doing it, remember. It's not as if ye love her.}  
  
Sheamus smiled at the priest. This had to be so hard for him. "So ye actually want us to.commit fornication. Isn't that a sin?"  
  
Father Thomas grimaced. "Tis better than seeing that girl give herself to the devil. And let me make something clear. I'm doing this because I know that she loves ye and, despite your protestations, ye love her too. But if I'm wrong about ye and ye hurt her, well, let's just say I have friends in very high places."  
  
Sheamus swallowed. For a moment he looked as if he was expecting a lightning bolt to strike him. "I understand, Father."  
  
"Good. I'm glad we had this little chat. So, I can expect to be seeing more of ye here on Sundays?"  
  
"Aye, Father."  
  
Night fell upon Banshee Forest. Here, among the hooting owls and singing crickets, ageless spirits wandered. They walked, unseen by human eyes. They sang, unheard by human ears. Their mournful dirge filled the night air as it had for centuries past while people nearby simply shrugged, saying "Tis just the wind."  
  
The banshee were unusually restless that evening. Their song was filled with a dread sense of foreboding. An evil was coming; had already set foot on their land. And one of their own was in pain.  
  
Her song carried on the night breeze. Rhianna stood on the balcony, hands clasping the railing, eyes closed, head lifted high. It was an old song, born before memory. She didn't know why she chose that particular song. She just had to sing it.  
  
*Green, in the wizard arms Of the foam-bearded Atlantic, An isle of old enchantment, A melancholy isle, Enchanted and dreaming lies; And there, by Shannon's flowing, In the moonlight, spectre-thin, The spectre Erin sits.  
  
An aged desolation, She sits by old Shannon's flowing, A mother of many children, Of children exiled and dead, In her home, with bent head, homeless, Clasping her knees she sits, Keening, keening!  
  
And the Fianna hear, and the ghosts of her cloudy hovering heroes; And the swan, Fianoula, wails o'er the waters of Inisfail, Chanting her song of destiny, The rune of the weaving Fates. And the nations hear in the void and quaking time of night, Sad unto dawning, dirges, Solemn dirges, And snatches of bardic song; Their souls quake in the void and quaking time of night, And they dream of the weird of kings, And tyrannies moulting sick In the dreadful wind of change.  
  
Wail no more, lonely one, mother of exiles, wail no more, Banshee of the world - no more! Thy sorrows are the world's, thou art no more alone; Thy wrongs, the world's.*  
  
As the notes fell from her lips she felt a strange stirring within. Like she was on the verge of remembering some forgotten part of herself. Like tapping into some hidden power deep within. She stood there long after the song ended, reveling in the strange sensation. Something momentous was getting ready to happen.  
  
"Beautiful night, isn't it?" Her brother's voice rang out behind her.  
  
And the moment was gone. She pasted a smile on her face and turned to greet him. "Aye, that it is."  
  
Sean stood beside her looking out over the moonlit estate. "So, are ye going to tell me what's wrong?"  
  
Rhianna shook her head. "I'm fine."  
  
"Right, and ye were singing the ballad of the Banshee just for fun? Come on, ye only sing when you're upset. What's wrong, Ree?"  
  
"I've just accepted my fate, that's all. It just finally hit me that I'm going to have to marry Dimera."  
  
{Not if I can help it,} Sean thought with a grim determination.  
  
Rhianna turned to her brother. "I understand we'll be having a house guest in a few days," she said to change the subject.  
  
"Aye. Her name is Miriam Lockeheart. I had met her once a few years ago. I've been thinking about her a great deal lately. I think she would make a good wife for me."  
  
"Wife? This is certainly sudden. What about Elizabeth?"  
  
Sean kept his eyes carefully averted. "What about her?"  
  
"I thought ye cared for her."  
  
He shrugged. "She's a nice enough girl and I certainly enjoy her company but a romance between us? She's a servant, it would never work."  
  
"She's a good deal more than just a servant," Rhianna pointed out.  
  
"I know that but there's still worlds of difference between us. Miss Lockeheart and I have similar backgrounds. She's a better match for me and will make a good Lady of the castle."  
  
"Okay," Rhianna acquiesced. "I just want to be sure that you're marrying her for the right reasons: because she's a good mate and someone you could love."  
  
Sean laughed nervously. "What other reasons are there?"  
  
Sean made his way through the halls of the castle. He was relieved that the conversation was over and that Rhianna seemed to have believed him. She could never learn his real reason for marrying Miss Lockeheart. She would never allow him to sacrifice his happiness for hers.  
  
But Sean would do anything to save her, even if it meant entering into a loveless marriage. And loveless it would be, for he knew that he could never love another woman the way he loved Elizabeth.  
  
He stopped and leaned against the cold stone wall. His heart twisted just picturing her lovely face, her brilliant smile. He wasn't sure when it had happened; he only knew that he had fallen in love with her despite himself.  
  
He banged his head against the wall. {Come on, Sean, ye haven't even known her that long.} Although it had felt like all his life. {How well do ye really know her?} He knew all he needed to know. He knew his heart raced every time she was near. He knew his fingers itched to run along her smooth skin, that his lips burned to press down on hers. And even when he was able to get his mind and body under control, he knew that she would be a wonderful companion and mother to his future children. He knew that she was the only girl he wanted to spend his life with.  
  
Sean closed his eyes and sighed. But he also knew that he could not let Rhianna marry that monster. None of the rest mattered. He straightened back up and burying his feelings deep inside him continued his walk through the castle.  
  
He paused when he came to an open door. Inside the room he saw Elizabeth on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor. His heart twisted at the sight. Here she was slaving away, so late at night.  
  
"Ye know, Elizabeth, when we offered ye a place here, it didn't mean ye had to work around the clock. Ye are permitted to eat, and sleep," Sean said with a grin. "Ye can even take a day off, every now and then."  
  
The girl looked up from her labors. A dirty hand brushed the hair out of her red, sweaty face. "I just wanted to be sure everything's ready on time for Miss Lockeheart," she said breathlessly.  
  
"I'm sorry. I hadn't realized that preparing this room would be such a huge undertaking."  
  
"Well, this room hasn't been used in many years. There was dirt and mildew buildup. A lot of the furnishings had to be repaired and I had to replace the curtains and linens; they were completely threadbare. There's still a bit to be done, but it will be ready for her arrival," Elizabeth promised as she got back to her scrubbing.  
  
Sean noticed that her fingers were raw from abuse. He hated the thought of such a lovely creature having to work so hard. He rolled up his sleeves and before he knew what he was doing, he was down on the floor beside her.  
  
"Why don't ye take a break and I'll take over?" he offered.  
  
Elizabeth bowed her head. "No, it's okay. I like to work; it keeps my mind off of things."  
  
He reached out and tilted her chin so he could see her face. He saw her eyes, red and wet from crying. "What's wrong, Beth?" he asked, his pet name for her slipping out.  
  
Elizabeth smiled and wiped her tears. "I'm just sad, I guess."  
  
"Ye miss your mum."  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Is that all?" he asked. His fingers caressed her cheek, seemingly with a will all their own.  
  
She turned away from him. It just hurt so much to be near him, to hear his soothing words, to feel his gentle touch, and know that he was planning to marry someone else. "I just feel like.everyone's leaving me. Da, Mum, Sheamus."  
  
"Your brother isn't gone," Sean soothed.  
  
"Well, he isn't here, is he? No, he's on the other side of the estate because Heaven forbid Sheamus Brady should ever take charity from someone."  
  
Sean frowned. He had never seen this side of Elizabeth before. "Beth, what's wrong?" He reached out for her.  
  
She stood to her feet. "I'm lonely, okay? I moved into this giant castle and I might as well be the only person living in it for all that I see ye or Rhianna." Tears slipped from her eyes. "I'm tired of losing everyone I love. My parents, Sheamus." She stared him directly in his eyes. ".you."  
  
There was a lengthy silence in the room as the occupants realized the import of Elizabeth's statement. She gasped and covered her mouth when she realized what she had said. "You're right," she said finally to recover her dignity. "It's getting late. Good night."  
  
Sean sadly watched as she left the room.  
  
* This excerpt taken from The Banshee by John Todhunter (1839-1916) 


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Two  
  
"Oh goodness, Elizabeth, it looks amazing! You've done a wonderful job in here!" Rhianna enthused, gazing at the room.  
  
Elizabeth beamed with pride and carefully avoided Sean's eyes. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Thank ye. I've just been adding the finishing touches. I hope she likes it," she added hesitantly.  
  
"How can she not? Tis beautiful." The room was decorated in blues and yellows. The furniture had all been restored and gleamed with a bright polish. Large ornate mirrors and tapestries hung on the walls and thick lush rungs covered the floor.  
  
Elizabeth set a vase of fresh daisies on the bedside table. "Thank ye." She tucked a stray lock of limp hair behind her ear. As she did so, Sean noticed the red blisters on her hands.  
  
"Well, I'm going to go make ready to greet her when she arrives," Rhianna said and exited the room.  
  
A tense, awkward silence filled the room. The two occupants wanted to say something, and felt that something should be said, but didn't know what to say. Sean glanced at the curtains. "Are those new? I don't remember seeing them."  
  
Elizabeth nodded, grateful for the tension breaker. "The other ones were worn. I was pleased to find a use for the fabric I had gotten a while back."  
  
"So this is the fabric - very nice. Ye made them?"  
  
"Aye, and the bed linens."  
  
"That's very impressive."  
  
Another awkward silence followed. They both stood, staring at the floor, rocking from one foot to the other as the painful seconds ticked by. Finally they both spoke up at once.  
  
"Sean" "Elizabeth"  
  
Sean laughed. "Ye go first."  
  
"I just wanted to apologize for the other night. I shouldn't have said what I said. I'm just missing my mum. That's all."  
  
Sean stepped closer to her. "Please, don't apologize. I'm.glad ye said it." His lips curled into a smile. "It was nice to hear." His thumb gently traced her cheek. He sighed then and turned away from her. "Unfortunately, Elizabeth, I'm in a hard place. I can't do what I would like to do. I can't say the words I want to say."  
  
Elizabeth watched him as hope hammered at her heart. "What do ye want to say?"  
  
He looked at her then and there was no mistaking the tender caring in his brown eyes. "I want to reassure ye. I want to tell ye that I care for ye. Because I do care, Beth. Despite all my plans and wishes and .sheer force of will, I still care for ye. I still love."  
  
"SEAN!" Rhianna's voice interrupted. "Miss Lockeheart's here!"  
  
Sean blinked, as if coming back to reality. He glanced at Elizabeth's hopeful face and his heart fell. "I'm sorry," he whispered and exited the room, leaving a crestfallen Elizabeth behind.  
  
She stood in the receiving line. The only sign of her nervousness was her fidgety fingers. She subconsciously smoothed her hair. {Why do I have to meet her now, when I'm all sticky and sweaty?} Elizabeth moaned inwardly. She stared at the large, ornate carriage, and wondered about the woman inside.  
  
{She's probably beautiful, perfectly groomed. She'll be wearing the latest fashions and not a single hair will be out of place. Add to that unbelievably wealthy, educated, and cultured. No wonder Sean wants to marry her. How foolish to think he would ever marry me.} Her brother's words echoed in her head then, cruelly taunting her with their truth.  
  
"Men of nobility like Lord Cassidy are always the same. Treat their young female servants kindly and with sweet words and while the girls are thinking of love and marriage, the lords are thinking of a quick dalliance with a mere servant."  
  
{He was right,} Elizabeth mused. {Sean doesn't care about me, at least, not enough to marry me. And I will be no one's mistress,} she thought with firm determination.  
  
Slowly, the carriage door opened and out stepped.  
  
{That's her?} Elizabeth was shocked by the plain girl who stood before them. She was pretty, but certainly not beautiful. Her hair was pulled back and she wore a simple black dress. Elizabeth was getting ready to feel much better about the situation when the girl turned back to the carriage and proceeded to help another girl out.  
  
The second girl was undoubtedly Miss Miriam Lockeheart. From her elegantly coiffed hair, to her jewelry, to her gown, to her regal air - everything simply screamed royalty. It was hard to believe she was only wealthy.  
  
Rhianna watched Miss Lockeheart sashay up the grand stairs to the castle entrance where they stood. {The girl thinks she's the one with the grand title,} she thought with an amused grin.  
  
Miriam extended her hand to Sean who dutifully kissed it. "Miss Lockeheart, welcome to Cassidy Keep. I hope ye will consider this your home for the next several weeks."  
  
Miriam smiled and fluttered her long, blond lashes. "I will," she purred.  
  
Sean turned to his sister. "Miss Lockeheart, this is my sister Rhianna. I do not believe you've had the pleasure?"  
  
"No we haven't," Rhianna spoke up. "It is very nice to meet ye, Miss Lockeheart. My brother speaks very highly of ye."  
  
Miriam blushed and simpered coyly.  
  
Sean gestured to Elizabeth. "This is our.friend, Elizabeth Brady. Not only does she keep the castle spotless, she also cooks the best meals we've ever had."  
  
Elizabeth felt her cheeks burn from the attention. "Nice to meet ye, Miss."  
  
"Nice to meet you too," Miriam replied with a disinterested air.  
  
Sean turned to the other girl who stood behind Miriam. "I'm sorry, Miss, and ye are?"  
  
"Oh, she's just my handmaiden," Miriam interrupted.  
  
"Oh, well then, let me show ye to your room." He turned then and led them into the castle.  
  
"Handmaiden?!" Elizabeth hissed to Rhianna. Rhianna simply shrugged. Elizabeth bit her lip. She hadn't expected another guest.  
  
They reached Miriam's room and Elizabeth waited with baited breath for her reaction. Miriam looked around the room. "Oh, how lovely!" she exclaimed. She turned to Sean. "Now where's my room?"  
  
"Um.this is your room."  
  
"Oh." Her face fell. She plastered a false smile on her face. "Well, I'm sure it will do just fine. Interesting color choice."  
  
Sean bowed to Miriam. "If ye will excuse me, ladies, there is some business I must attend to. I will leave ye to get settled in."  
  
Miriam turned to Rhianna. "Well now, where will Kara stay?"  
  
Rhianna searched the room. "How about this couch? It's quite large and very soft." But Miriam continued looking at Rhianna with the same fake smile. Obviously that suggestion wasn't good enough. Rhianna inhaled deeply. "You'll have to excuse us. We don't have any other rooms prepared for ye. We weren't expecting ye to bring your handmaiden."  
  
"Of course I brought her!" Miriam scoffed. "Do you go anywhere without your handmaiden?"  
  
"I don't have one," Rhianna replied coolly.  
  
"Oh. Well, I guess that's why you need my father's money," Miriam said with a frosty smile.  
  
Rhianna's flashing eyes narrowed but she bit her tongue. After all, her brother cared for the girl - for some reason.  
  
"Um, Kara can stay with me," Elizabeth offered. "My bed will sleep the both of us."  
  
"Well then, that's settled. I should like a long bath to wash away the long trip. Kara draw me a bath and then go bring up my things," Miriam ordered. She turned to Elizabeth. "So you're the cook?"  
  
"Aye, among other things."  
  
"Tonight, I should like something French. Foie gras would be nice."  
  
"Um.okay."  
  
Miriam left to get ready for her bath. Elizabeth turned to Rhianna. "What the hell is foy gra?" (A/N: foie gras is pate made from the liver of a fattened goose.)  
  
She descended the stairs with a slow, measured grace. She wore a gown of royal purple in flowing silk and velvet. Her sandy blonde hair was pulled high on her head and her beautiful face was lit up with a dazzling smile.  
  
Elizabeth watched sadly as Sean took the beautiful woman's hand and kissed it. "Miriam, ye look very lovely. That color is most becoming on ye." His flattery words flowed smoothly from his mouth.  
  
Miriam smiled wickedly. "Why thank you, kind sir."  
  
Sean offered her his arm. "Shall we go?"  
  
Elizabeth watched the lovely couple leave as pain stabbed at her heart. When Sean heard of Miriam's unique menu 'requests' and saw how flustered Elizabeth was, he decided to take Miriam out for the evening instead. They would be dining at a fine restaurant and then attending a concert.  
  
Elizabeth held the door for them. "Have a nice time," she called after them.  
  
Miriam turned and gifted her with a cold smile. "Oh, we will."  
  
Elizabeth closed the door behind them and leaned heavily against it. "Now what?" She sighed. Once again she was all alone in the giant castle. She tried to shut out the image of Sean, so handsome in his dark suit, kissing Miriam's hand, walking out the door with her on his arm. She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. Sadness and loneliness battled for dominance inside a wounded heart.  
  
"Too early for bed," she mumbled. Besides, with Kara staying there, her room would not be the sanctuary she needed.  
  
"I could clean something." It was a good idea; get a head start on the next day's chores. Something told her that Miss Lockeheart would keep her busy. But she had been cleaning almost non-stop for days and she was exhausted.  
  
Elizabeth looked around the large, empty room and loneliness overwhelmed her. She knew where she had to go.  
  
Sheamus groaned in frustration as he rushed to the pounding door. He'd just been preparing for a soak in a hot bath to wash away the pain and dirt. Who knew that just supervising others could be such hard work? He opened the cabin door.  
  
"LizzyB," he said in surprise. "What are ye doing here?" he asked as he stepped aside for her.  
  
"Well, I missed ye and I was feeling a little lonely in the castle so I thought I'd come see your place. It's a lovely cabin," she complimented as she glanced around the room. "I see ye haven't unpacked yet." She laughed as she looked at the stacks of boxes.  
  
"I'm getting to it. It's just.taking a little while." Sheamus noticed the sadness that hid behind Elizabeth's cheery façade. "What's wrong, Elizabeth?"  
  
Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nothing. Like I said, I just got tired of hanging around the big, empty castle with only my echo to keep me company."  
  
"Where's Sean? I thought ye spent a lot of your evenings with him."  
  
"He's out.on a date," she said softly with her head turned away from her brother's probing eyes.  
  
"I see." Now his sister's mood was becoming clear. "I heard Sean had a lady friend visiting. Going to be his bride, if I'm not mistaken."  
  
"Aye."  
  
Sheamus stared at his sister's downcast face, saw her chin begin to tremble. "Damn," he swore and wrapped his muscular arms around Elizabeth's quivering body. He'd been afraid of this, that Elizabeth would wind up hurt by her little 'crush.'  
  
"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. But these feelings will fade in time. Remember what Mum used to say, these crushes are just nature's way of preparing your heart for love."  
  
Elizabeth shook her head as tears escaped her eyes. "This felt so real. I thought he loved me."  
  
Sheamus frowned and gripped her shoulders. He remembered Sean's attention toward Elizabeth, the looks he gave her, the gentle words. {He must have led her on!} "Elizabeth, did he tell ye he loved ye?"  
  
She nodded, sniffling.  
  
"When?"  
  
"This morning. He told me he cared for me and he was saying that he loved me when Miss Lockeheart arrived."  
  
"That bastard," Sheamus muttered angrily as he headed toward the door.  
  
"Where are ye going?"  
  
"I'm going to have a word with Lord Cassidy. Does he think he can play games with your heart because you're his maid? He knew he was planning on marrying someone else yet he continued to lead ye on." He stopped short when a horrible thought occurred to him. He whirled back around, blue fire blazing in his eyes.  
  
"Did he touch you?"  
  
Elizabeth shook her head.  
  
"Good, then I don't have to kill him. As it is though, he's going to lose some teeth."  
  
Elizabeth pulled on her brother's arm. "No! Don't! It's not his fault." She cried as giant tears slid down her cheeks.  
  
Sheamus was moved with pity by the heartbreak evident on her face. He hugged her to him, soothing her with gentle words.  
  
"It was just a crush," she sobbed. "It wasn't love. Just a crush."  
  
She was about to knock again when the cabin door flew open. "Hellooooo." Rhianna trailed off. Sheamus stood in front of her, with an exasperated expression on his face. He had apparently just gotten out of the bath for his wet, dripping body was clad only in a little white towel wrapped around his hips. Rhianna watched, mesmerized, as a clump of soapsuds slid over his collarbone, up and over a firm pectoral, down his rippling abdomen, to finally disappear beneath the towel.  
  
"Was there something ye needed?"  
  
"mmm? Oh, what?" She shook her head to clear her mind. She looked up to see Sheamus's amused grin.  
  
"I was asking if ye were here for a reason," he prompted. He saw then the sadness that still haunted her eyes. Suddenly he was reminded of a few nights earlier. He had stepped outside and the air was filled with the most chilling, beautiful singing. He was moved to his very core by the song and he immediately knew who was singing.  
  
"I'm glad you're here, actually," he spoke up. "I heard the strangest thing the other night. It sounded like.singing."  
  
"Ye heard that?" Rhianna asked in amazement. He had heard her singing from the other side of the estate.  
  
"So it was you."  
  
"Aye, it was." There was a short pause. "I'm waiting."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"The inevitable insult. What was my singing lacking this time? Emotion? Passion?"  
  
As soon as the word escaped her lips though, she knew she had made a mistake. It hung in the air between them - passion - alerting them to the charged intensity that radiated off of them. Sheamus moved toward her, suddenly very aware that he only wore a towel. Only a thin layer of terry cloth separated him from the luscious creature before him. His saucy blue eyes traveled over her curves with deliberate slowness. He reached out for her hair, letting the silky curls flow through his fingers.  
  
"No," he whispered huskily, "the passion was there. It's just missing one thing now: freedom."  
  
There was a long tortured pause as Rhianna struggled to control her chaotic emotions. She inhaled deeply. "Look, I didn't come here to get a music lecture."  
  
"Then why are ye here?"  
  
"Remember our conversation about expanding our sales? I think we're ready to do that. This week ye and I will take a trip to visit several prospective clients in this area to see if we can win them back to us."  
  
Sheamus closed the door after Rhianna left. {A trip, hmm? Just the two of us. Sounds like the perfect time to "bring our love to fruition."} He began making plans in his mind as he walked into his bedroom.  
  
His eyes fell on his bed where Elizabeth lay sleeping. She had been exhausted after her flood of emotions and tears and when he learned she had given her bed to Kara he gave her his bed. He tiptoed to his dresser to get his boxers and some sheets. He thought of the sad loneliness that had been on his sister's face.  
  
{Way to go, Sheamus. You've been too busy thinking about getting the factory that ye neglected your sister. Ye left her all alone in that castle.} He stopped beside her and gazed on her sleeping form. He bent down and kissed her tear stained cheek. {I've been a horrible brother to ye, LizzyB. I promised Mum I'd look after ye - but I haven't been doing that. It will all change soon. I'm going to gain possession of the factory and ye won't have to work anymore. You'll be free to find a good man who will treat ye right. I promise ye that, Elizabeth.} 


	24. Chapter TWentyThree

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Three  
  
"So I was at the Countess's Ball - the one she gives for ladies who are coming out, well, the poorer ones anyway, I had my own coming out ball and everyone was there - even the duke - he said I was quite fetching, but Daddy says he's too old and besides, I heard he was going to marry the Countess's daughter - she has freckles - ugh - so, where was I? Oh yes, the Countess's Ball. I wore a gown designed by the Parisian designer Jean Paul Frenche. I was the belle of the ball and even Jean Luc, who is notoriously critical said I had that certain 'je na sais quoi.' I'm not sure what it means but I know a compliment when I hear one.  
  
So anyway, we're all gathered and the Countess makes her grand appearance down the staircase and I could not believe my eyes! She was wearing mauve - Mauve! I could have died from trying to hold in my laughter. Really, she should know better. Mauve went out of fashion a month ago! I felt bad for her - really. Everyone was talking about it."  
  
Sean noticed a rare moment of silence and realized that Miriam had stopped talking. He smiled blandly at his breakfast guest. "That was.fascinating."  
  
"Well, I've been told many times that I'm a great conversationalist," she replied with a coy fluttering of her eyelashes.  
  
"I can believe that," Sean said with a saccharin smile. {Your social circle must be dull indeed.}  
  
"Well, I have many more 'fascinating' stories. Like, one time Daddy threw me a Christmas ball."  
  
She didn't even finish the sentence before Sean tuned her out. It had been two days since Miriam's arrival and he had been forced to listen to many of these conversations. They weren't bad actually. He would plaster a kind smile on his face, nod occasionally and then his mind was free to think about other things. For example, this year's crop placement, prioritizing needed repairs, and pondering the rising cost of flour. Then, when the conversation was especially "stimulating" he would mull over the ancient mystery of why cats meow but lions roar. If lions are cats, shouldn't they meow too, only with a bigger meow? Or, why don't cats roar in a little, tiny, high-pitched "roar"? And occasionally, against his will, his mind would wander over to her.  
  
Elizabeth. He saw very little of her now, not since she moved in with her brother. He now only saw her in passing, as she was dusting or mopping or doing some other chore. And of course he saw her at mealtimes, when she brought their meals, enduring with infinite patience Miriam's condescending remarks and snotty looks. Many times Sean thought of saying something, standing up for Elizabeth. But he held his tongue. He couldn't afford to offend Miriam - he needed her money more than she needed his title. And they both knew it. For that reason he endured her inane prattle. He stifled a yawn. She was still babbling about who wore what to what party and who was caught under the mistletoe with whom.  
  
Sean sighed. If it was this hard now, how would it be when he was married to her? He couldn't fathom loving her, sharing a bed with her, raising children with her. {There has to be a better way. Except there isn't.}  
  
He looked up when he realized that Miriam had stopped talking. She was looking at him expectantly. "I'm sorry, what?"  
  
"I was asking what the plans were for today."  
  
{Plans?} Sean thought dismally. He couldn't take another day of her dull company. His mind raced, searching for an escape. "I'm sorry, Miriam, but you'll have to be on your own today, for a while at least. I have estate business that simply cannot be put off any longer. But there's plenty for ye to do. We have a large, fully stocked library."  
  
"Yawn."  
  
"Or ye could go exploring over the estate grounds. Perhaps walk into town and do a bit of shopping?"  
  
Miriam's pout faded slightly. "Okay."  
  
Miriam looked out the window at the steady, heavy rain. "Oh, why does it have to be raining?" she moaned. "I'm dreadfully bored."  
  
Elizabeth looked up from the stone floor she'd been furiously scrubbing. "I wish I could get a chance to be bored," she mumbled.  
  
"I wanted to go into town and see what passes for entertainment around here," Miriam continued on, taking no notice of Elizabeth. "Instead, I'm stuck inside this dreary old castle with nothing to do." She stuck her lower lip out in a pout.  
  
Elizabeth shook her head and tried her best to ignore the other girl. {I can't believe Sean's going to marry this girl. He must really love her to be able to put up with her.} Her mind drifted back to the other morning. Sean had been on the verge of telling her he loved her but was interrupted by Miriam's arrival. {I don't understand. How could Sean tell me he cared for me when he loves her? I guess Sheamus was right,} she thought coldly. {Sean was just playing games with me. He was just looking for a "quick dalliance with a mere servant." And I fell for it.}  
  
Elizabeth welcomed the hot anger that filled her heart. It was a better companion than the heartbreak she had known for the last few days. She scrubbed the floor viciously. {I fell for his gentle words and soft touch.} She brought him to mind and willed herself to hate him. Maybe if she hated him, it wouldn't hurt so much. It wouldn't hurt so much to bump into him in the hall. It wouldn't hurt so much to wait on him and Miriam at dinner. It wouldn't hurt so much to see them together, to watch them kiss. Maybe if she hated him, it would be easier to stop loving him.  
  
Miriam watched Elizabeth grind her brush into the floor with narrowed eyes. She had a sharper mind than she let on. She had picked up on the undercurrent of tension between Sean and Elizabeth, and had easily discerned the cause. Elizabeth had been easy to read. The sad longing that appeared in the maid's large blue eyes when she gazed upon her employer had given her away. As did the blush on her cheeks, the shaky timbre to her voice. Sean on the other hand, was harder to read. His expressions and voice were tightly controlled, his eyes shuttered.  
  
{So the maid has a crush on the Lord of the castle,} Miriam mused with a thin, cold smile. {I wonder how Sean feels. Well - no matter, he's mine now anyway.} She stared at Elizabeth as a wicked plan formed in her mind. There was no better way to fight boredom than a little fun at someone else's expense.  
  
"Oh, Eliza," she called gaily.  
  
"My name's Elizabeth," came the mumbled reply.  
  
"I have a marvelous idea. Let's go exploring! This castle is enormous and I've only seen a bit of it."  
  
Elizabeth looked up and swallowed the nasty response that had sprung to mind. "I'm sorry, Miss Lockeheart, but I'm busy at the moment. Perhaps some other time?" she asked with saccharin sweetness.  
  
"Yes, but I'm bored now. Please go with me, Elise. I don't want to go exploring by myself."  
  
"It's Elizabeth, and why don't ye ask Kara to go with ye?"  
  
"Kara's busy preparing my dress for tonight. Besides, I want you to come with me. We should get to know each other."  
  
"But."  
  
"We could search the east wing. I hear the rooms are beautiful! But I really want to check out the old tower."  
  
"We're not supposed to go near the tower," Elizabeth protested. "It needs repairs and could be dangerous. We're only supposed to stay in this one wing of the castle."  
  
"Oh, that's ridiculous," Miriam scoffed.  
  
"Nothing's going to happen to us. Besides, the castle will be mine shortly. I have a right to see me future house." Miriam smirked at the pain that flashed briefly in Elizabeth's eyes. {Poor little maid. Did you think you would marry Sean and be Lady of the castle?}  
  
"Well, I'm going with or without you. I just hope nothing happens to me because I'm by myself and I don't know where I'm going."  
  
Elizabeth remained quiet as she fought a war with herself.  
  
"Suit yourself." Miriam walked out of the room.  
  
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. While Miriam's safety was of no concern to her, she knew that Sean would be upset if anything happened to his prospective bride. In the end she knew she didn't really have a choice.  
  
"Hold on while I get a lamp."  
  
"My goodness! This castle just goes on and on forever!" Miriam exclaimed.  
  
"Aye. Don't ye think we've done enough exploring?" Elizabeth asked anxiously. They had been wandering for hours and were now in a dark, deserted part of the castle. If something happened to them, it would be days before anyone found them.  
  
"Oh, come on, we haven't even been up to the tower yet."  
  
Elizabeth stifled an annoyed sigh. She looked around her at the corridor they stood in. Despite the castle's age and worn condition, it was still very lovely. The rooms they had been in were large and airy connected by graceful, sweeping arches. She could imagine how it must have looked with it was first built, how beautiful it must have been. She ran her fingers along the wall lovingly. {No wonder Sean loves this castle.} She loved it too.  
  
Miriam looked at the quiet girl beside her and an amused grin played on her lips. "So, Lisa, how long have you worked here?"  
  
"A couple of months."  
  
"That's not very long. How do you like it here?"  
  
"Oh, I like it a great deal. Sean - Lord Cassidy is a wonderful employer - very kind and generous."  
  
"Well, I'm glad you like it here. I hope you will stay on after Sean and I are married. Of course you'll be taking orders from me, but I can be just as kind and generous as Sean."  
  
Elizabeth paused. She hadn't thought of that. What would she do when Sean got married? She didn't think she would be able to handle working for Sean, living in the same house with him, while he was married to someone else. And she certainly didn't think she could work for Miss Miriam Lockeheart. She'd only know her for a few days and already couldn't stand her. {There's no way in hot, fiery hell I'm taking orders from her. There's plenty of other jobs to be had.}  
  
She put a bright smile on her face and answered. "I'm not yet sure what I will do. Working here was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement."  
  
"Well, give it some thought. Sean tells me you're wonderful with children. You could stay on as our nanny. I'm sure Sean's going to want to start having children right away. Every lord needs an heir." Miriam chuckled inwardly as her arrows hit their mark.  
  
"I think we're almost there," Elizabeth said to change the painful subject. She noticed that the floors and walls seemed to be less sturdy there. In many places, mortar was missing and cold drafts blew in through the crumbling stone bricks. Elizabeth warily eyed the spider web cracks on the floor. "Be careful," she warned.  
  
But Miriam just laughed and tossed her dirty blond ringlets. She boldly stepped onto the cracks. Her smile though vanished when, with a rumble like thunder, the floor gave out beneath her.  
  
Elizabeth leapt forward to grab her only to have the remaining floor crumble beneath her. A strangled cry of fear escaped her lips as they fell and fell into suffocating darkness. 


	25. Chapter TwentyFour

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Four  
  
"I think that went very well, don't ye?"  
  
Sheamus nodded. Rhianna continued. "Granted it would have been better if they had placed an order with us, but it seemed very promising."  
  
Sheamus checked his pocket watch. "4:30. We still have plenty of time to get to the ferry before the last boat leaves."  
  
Rhianna looked around her at the bright, sunny forest. The path they walked was thickly carpeted with old leaves and new grass. They had taken a trip that day to meet with some prospective customers. They had just finished their last meeting of the day and were now heading back.  
  
" 'Tis a beautiful day," Sheamus said to break the silence.  
  
Rhianna inhaled deeply. "Aye, that it is. Just as it was the other three times you've said that today."  
  
"Hey, just trying to make conversation, your ladyshipness." There had been an uncomfortable tension between them ever since their meeting two nights ago. They couldn't forget the sizzling electricity that had flared between them. The image of Sheamus's wet, bare body was burned in Rhianna's mind, taunting her, mocking her. She tried to ignore the effect his presence had on her. Sheamus, for his part, was focused on his plan for the evening.  
  
"Are we going the right way?" Rhianna asked after many minutes of silent walking.  
  
"Sure, the ferry's right this way." They broke into a clearing. Before them laid a wide-open field of wildflowers. And not a river in sight.  
  
"Or not." Sheamus scratched his head. "Hmmm, I guess I took a wrong turn back at the fork." He checked his watch. "We'll never make it to the ferry on time and there's no other way to cross the river."  
  
"So we're stuck out here?" Rhianna asked in dismay. They'd had a long, tiring day and she was exhausted.  
  
Sheamus nodded sheepishly. "For the night, it looks like. The ferry will run again in the morning. Come on, maybe we can find a place nearby to spend the night."  
  
They walked through the field of wild flowers. The vibrant flowers grew thickly and many stood waist high, basking in the golden afternoon sun. Rhianna smiled and ran her fingers along the fragrant blossoms as she walked. Sheamus smiled at the childlike expression of joy on her face.  
  
"Having fun?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Rosy circles appeared on her cheeks. "Aye, it's just, I've spent so much time lately inside buildings of brick and steel that I've forgotten how beautiful simple wild nature can be."  
  
Her eyes took on a distant, wistful gaze. "Mum loved flowers and the estate used to be full of flower gardens. We even had a wildflower garden like this. I can just remember what it felt like to run through the flowers, arms outstretched, wind in my hair, sun on my face."  
  
Sheamus smiled warmly, imagining the young Rhianna at play. He remembered his own childhood - playing with Elizabeth. "Sounds nice," he murmured.  
  
"It was," she replied dreamily.  
  
They continued walking through the large field as the sun beat down on them. Sheamus shrugged, uncomfortable in his warm clothes. He pulled on his collar as sweat began to bead on the back of his neck. He looked over at Rhianna and her heavy dark dress.  
  
"Aren't ye hot?" He saw that her forehead glistened with dewy moisture.  
  
"Aye, a little. This dress isn't exactly suitable for hiking on a warm sunny day."  
  
"So take it off."  
  
Rhianna looked at Sheamus as if he had sprouted another head. "What?"  
  
"Take it off - you're wearing something underneath, right?"  
  
"Just my shift - and it's way too thin for going about in public."  
  
"Look around ye, Rhianna. Do ye see any public here?"  
  
"But,"  
  
"Look, we've still got quite a walk ahead of us. Do what ye want, but I'm going to get comfortable." Sheamus took off his jacket and unbuttoned his white shirt until it hung half open, exposing most of his gleaming bronze chest. Rhianna stood watching, trying not to stare while Sheamus rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He untucked the shirt from his pants and sighed.  
  
"Aaaaah, much better."  
  
They walked for a few more minutes. Rhianna stared enviously at Sheamus who was going to great lengths to show "how much better" he felt. He stretched his arms and his shirt gaped open. "Oh, feel that breeze. Great day for a walk."  
  
Rhianna narrowed her jealous eyes. "Fine," she muttered as her fingers furiously attacked the tiny buttons of her dress. "Have it your way." She peeled off her dress and stood unabashedly before Sheamus, clad in a simple white cotton shift. The dress was so sheer that her undergarments could be seen.  
  
Sheamus's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged. There was now very little covering Rhianna's long curvy body. Her arms were bare as were a good deal of her long smooth legs. She stretched luxuriously.  
  
"Aaaaah, much better," she echoed.  
  
Sheamus gasped in mock horror. "Lady Cassidy, I am shocked. How indecent of ye."  
  
"Decency be damned - I'm hot." She grabbed her long red curls and twisted them up into a loose bun on top of her head. Sheamus couldn't help but notice that the action lifted her bosom, drawing his eyes to her full, rounded breasts. He coughed and turned his head when he realized he had been staring.  
  
"Ye ready?" he asked. "We should probably keep walking."  
  
"I don't want to walk," Rhianna said, her eyes glinting mischievously. She suddenly felt like a child and she welcomed it. For one moment she wanted to be free again: free from worries and responsibilities. Free from rules and expectations. Free.  
  
"I don't want to walk," she repeated. She threw her dress at a surprised Sheamus. "I want to run!" And she took off across the field. She ran as fast as she could - arms open wide, head held high.  
  
Sheamus watched with an amused grin. {So this is what our children will be like.} He watched as she stopped suddenly, many many yards away. She turned around and gifted him with a direct stare. Her eyes seemed to smolder for a moment and then with a wicked grin she called out, "Catch me if ye can!"  
  
That did it. Sheamus dropped the clothes he'd been carrying and broke into a run toward her. Rhianna shrieked and began running. Perhaps she was beginning to tire, or perhaps she secretly wanted Sheamus to catch her. In any case, it was clear she wasn't running as fast as before.  
  
Sheamus's long, powerful legs were quickly closing the gap. He grinned, reveling in the chase, and for a moment he resembled a mighty lion in the hunt. He continued to gain on her, his mind chanting 'faster, faster!' He was almost there, nipping at her heels now. She darted and turned like a graceful gazelle, always just out of reach. He smiled. They were nearing the end of the field and the beginning of a large forest. She was as good as his.  
  
But Rhianna's pace didn't slacken but she continued to run toward the woods. She made fore one of the closer trees and latching onto a lower limb, propelled herself up into the tree. She was already well into the many branches when Sheamus reached the base of the tall, gnarled tree.  
  
He stopped and stared up at her, panting heavily. Her taunting voice floated down from above.  
  
"Ye haven't caught me yet, Brady."  
  
"Not yet, Cassidy," he replied. With a deep grunt he pulled himself up onto the limb and began climbing branch by branch. He paused when he was halfway up. He searched for some sign of Rhianna but the branches and leaves were so thick that he could hardly see anything. He smiled though when he heard giggling as Rhianna scrambled down the other side of the tree.  
  
{So that's her game,} he thought as he began to climb down the way he'd come. When he reached the first branch he saw her beneath him on the ground. She had just gotten down from the tree and was just starting to run again when he tackled her from above. They rolled and landed on a bed of soft leaves and grass.  
  
"Oooof," Sheamus mumbled. He opened his eyes to find that he was lying on his back with Rhianna on top of him. Her emerald eyes stared into his with an intensity he could feel. He began to be very aware of her body tightly pressed against his. His arm was around her, hand on the small of her back. Moments went by as they fought to catch their breaths, calm their racing hearts.  
  
"Ye caught me," she whispered huskily.  
  
"Where's my prize?" he asked in a like manner. Rhianna's eyes darted to his mouth. She licked her suddenly dry lips. Her fingertips brushed his face and caressed his cheek. Her face fell forward, closer to his.  
  
"Your prize is right here." She bent her head as if to kiss his full lips, but veered instead and placed a soft, tender kiss on the scar on his temple. She was floored though by the response her sweet kiss invoked in Sheamus. He moaned throatily at her touch and his hand caressed her back.  
  
She stared into his eyes and wondered at the emotions that swirled in his blue orbs. She wondered more though at the emotions that whirled inside of her. She pulled out of his arms and stood to her feet. She brushed herself off and tried to bring her chaotic emotions under control.  
  
"We, we should get going."  
  
Elizabeth slowly lifted her heavy eyelids. She blinked several times, unsure if her eyes were actually open. All she saw was pure thick darkness. She went to move her hand in front of her face.  
  
"Ah!" she gasped as a lightning bolt of pain shot up her arm. She became aware of a painful throbbing in her wrist and realized that it was probably broken. She gingerly moved her body, testing for other injuries. She seemed to be okay except for the side of her head, which was covered, in a sticky fluid. She didn't have to see it to know it was blood, and a lot of it. There was a loud ringing in her head and she felt dizzy and faint.  
  
Shortly she became aware of muffled sobbing near her. Her mind flashed and she recalled the events before waking up. {We fell through the floor.} She looked up and maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her but she thought she could see a lighter area above her. Her eyes adjusted more and she could make out the upper level, many, many feet above her. She looked around her.  
  
"Miriam?" she called, her throat painfully dry.  
  
"Elizabeth?" came a watery reply.  
  
"Are ye hurt?"  
  
"My ankle hurts - I think it's twisted." There was a long pause. "Elizabeth, what are we going to do?" Elizabeth could hear the fear in the other girl's voice.  
  
"I don't know, Miriam. I don't know." 


	26. Chapter TwentyFive

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Five  
  
"I wonder how long we've been down here," Elizabeth's voice broke the anxious silence.  
  
"Feels like days," Miriam whined.  
  
"Well, it hasn't been. I'd say four or five hours." Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to shut out the other girl's whimpering. She breathed slowly, taking deep, measured breaths, in and out, in and out. Despite her best efforts, her heart continued to race, beating erratically. Her hands shook, her nerves frazzled.  
  
It was so dark. The blackness weighed down on her frail shoulders, threatening to crush her gentle spirit. She found herself panting. She felt like she was being suffocated. The air was stale and provided little relief. She placed her hand on the cold wall beside her, to reassure herself that it wasn't moving, that the walls weren't closing in on her.  
  
Her earliest childhood memory was of falling into a well. She was three and had been playing in a field with Sheamus. Someone had left the cover off of an old well and Elizabeth stumbled and fell right into it. Miraculously, she wasn't hurt, but she was down there in the dark wet hole for hours while Sheamus and others worked to rescue her. She had been so panicked, so afraid. It was her first experience with fear and that fear of dark, enclosed spaces stayed with her for the rest of her life. Even now, it was hard for her to be in a room with the door closed.  
  
A sharp throbbing in her wrist snapped her out of her thoughts. She was almost glad for her broken arm; it was a distraction from the fear that threatened to consume her. {Come on Beth,} she thought, unconsciously using Sean's pet name for her. {Focus on the present, forget everything else.}  
  
She carefully maneuvered to her feet. She held her arms out, feeling around her. "Miriam, where are ye?" she called.  
  
"Right here," answered a tiny voice.  
  
Elizabeth headed toward her voice, feeling for walls and debris on the ground. She knelt beside the sobbing girl. "Let me see your ankle. I don't think anything's broken, but it is definitely swollen. We should wrap it to protect it from further injury and to keep the swelling down. Tear off some strips from your dress."  
  
" What?!" Miriam asked with a touch of her old aristocratic air. "This dress is a one of a kind Paris original," she scoffed.  
  
There was a loud RIP of tearing fabric. Elizabeth pressed a wad of clothing strips into Miriam's hand. "And now it's a one of a kind dirty, bloody rag. Now, are ye bleeding anywhere?"  
  
Miriam's helpless tears returned. "No," she whimpered. "I don't think so."  
  
"Good." Elizabeth sat down to tend her own wounds. Using her good arm and her teeth she tore a large strip from her skirt and bandaged her wrist tightly. She winced from the sharp pain, but continued until her wrist was securely wrapped. She found two thin, flat strips of metal and made splints to keep her from moving her wrist. When that was completed she wrapped several bandages around her throbbing head. She then cleaned the many small cuts and scrapes she found on her arms and legs.  
  
"Now what?" Miriam sniffled.  
  
Elizabeth settled onto the floor and inhaled deeply. "Now we sit back and wait."  
  
"Wait?! For what? No one's going to find us." Miriam's voice rose dramatically.  
  
"Well, what do ye suggest we do?" Elizabeth bit out. Miriam was quickly wearing on her nerves.  
  
"We could try to find a way out of here, for one. This room or whatever has to lead somewhere."  
  
"Do ye know where we are?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I don't either. What I do know is that we are several levels beneath the floor we fell through. We could just be in a basement, or we could be in some old structure that isn't even a part of the castle. My point is that we would literally be wandering blindly through unknown passageways until we were so lost that no one would ever find us. Not to mention we might fall into another hole. Here, at least, we have a chance of being found. Besides, how much walking do ye think ye can do with your ankle?"  
  
"But who's going to find us down here?"  
  
"Sean will find us," Elizabeth replied with unshakeable faith in the man she loved. "He will know something is wrong when we don't show for dinner. He will find us." She wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked her body back and forth, taking courage in that one thought. She tried to shut out the darkness and the fear it brought.  
  
"Sean will find us," she murmured softly almost in chant. "Sean will find us."  
  
"I think I see a cabin just through the trees," Sheamus said, eyes squinting.  
  
Rhianna looked in the direction he indicated. Sure enough there was a small log cabin nestled in a secluded location. They began walking toward it and Rhianna frowned. Something about it all felt strange to her. Instead of wandering aimlessly, Sheamus had led her confidently the entire way through forests and over hills, never once letting up his pace. It was almost as if he knew where he was going.  
  
"Ye say that like ye were expecting it to be there," Rhianna said, the unspoken question evident in her voice.  
  
Sheamus paused. "Hmm, I think I might have been out here once before, years ago. This area seems kind of familiar to me. Maybe I was heading here subconsciously."  
  
Rhianna was satisfied with his explanation and soon they stood on the cabin's porch. "Do ye think anyone lives here?" Rhianna asked.  
  
Sheamus peered through a dirty window. "It seems to be deserted – let's find out." He knocked loudly on the door. The door creaked open under the force of his rapping. They cautiously stepped inside.  
  
"Hello? Anyone here?" He turned to Rhianna. "Guess not." A quick exploration of the cabin showed that while it was in good condition, it had not been used in some time. "'Tis probably a vacation home," Sheamus surmised. "I found fresh linens and blankets and there's a water pump out in the back."  
  
Rhianna sank gratefully into a sheet-covered chair. "So I guess we're spending the night here. Together. Just the two of us." Her weighted statement hung in the air as she realized the implications. She would be spending the night, un-chaperoned, with a member of the opposite sex. If anyone found out, her name would be ruined, especially since she was betrothed to someone else.  
  
"Don't ye worry, Lady Cassidy. I'll be a complete gentleman." Sheamus winked.  
  
Rhianna raised her eyebrow in amusement. "Ye, a gentleman? I highly doubt that."  
  
Sheamus was about to reply when something outside the cabin window caught his eye. "Wow," he murmured, moving to the door. He turned to Rhianna. "You've got to see this." The sun was setting outside and before them lay a beautiful view of woods and a nearby lake, all lit up by the sun's pink- orange rays.  
  
"It's beautiful," Rhianna whispered, afraid her voice would destroy the magic of the moment.  
  
Sheamus saw that Rhianna was shivering in only her shift and he draped his jacket around her shoulders. They watched the sun slowly sink behind the horizon. The sky was filled with pinks and purples.  
  
Rhianna made no move when Sheamus slipped his arms around her shoulders. Instead she simply relaxed and let herself enjoy the moment. They watched the last remnant of the sun disappear from view. His fingers idly caressed her back. The sun sent forth its last dazzling rays and then it was gone, leaving behind only the faintest glimmer of light in the evening sky. They stood for a few minutes watching the darkness unfold and stars appear. Then they turned and wordlessly went back inside.  
  
Rhianna groaned as she rubbed her flat stomach. "I honestly can't decide if I'm more hungry than tired or the other way around."  
  
Sheamus chuckled. "Why don't ye relax in a hot bath and I'll see if I can scrounge up a bit of dinner."  
  
The water first had to be pumped and then heated so it was some time later that Rhianna actually crawled into the small bathtub. She slowly eased herself into the hot water, sighing as the dirt and weariness of the day's toils washed off. She inhaled the clean scent of the soap she had found and felt refreshed. She took her time as she washed her thick hair and scrubbed her body. She felt as if it was the best bath she'd ever had. She knew it was time to get out, however, when her pink fingers began to wrinkle.  
  
She couldn't find a towel so she stood for a moment and let the warm air in the bathroom dry her naturally. When she was mostly dry, she put on her shift knowing the cotton garment would soak up any remaining moisture. She wore nothing under the shift and so it was when Sheamus first saw her with her wet hair hanging down her back and her thin night gown clinging to her damp curves – well, his heart nearly stopped. His hungry eyes bore into her, traveling over her full breasts and soft, flat stomach. It took a great force of will but he stopped his eyes from continuing further down her long body and instead forced them back up to her face.  
  
Rhianna blushed but didn't try to shield herself from his devouring gaze but stood still and let him stare. She could tell that he liked what he saw and the thought made her feel wanton, desirable. She stared at him with wide eyes and her knees felt like jelly. What was it about him that made her feel this way when ever he was near? She clutched her quivering stomach and averted her eyes, trying to escape the frightening sensations.  
  
She glanced around the room. It was a very cozy cabin; warm and clean. Dancing lights from flickering candles created a soft glow. Rhianna was moved by the beautiful, romantic setting and gazed back at Sheamus, wonder shining in her eyes.  
  
Sheamus was taken aback by the tender innocence on her face and for a moment felt guilty about his plans. For a moment. "I, uh, found the candles in the pantry. I thought they would be better than sitting in the dark. I found something else in the pantry. I think ye mentioned being hungry?"  
  
"Och, I'm famished."  
  
Sheamus set two steaming plates down on a small wooden table. He had laid a white tablecloth down and tall candles completed the elegant setting. Rhianna noticed that two wine goblets were also on the table.  
  
"It's not much, I'm afraid," Sheamus apologized. "Not much to be had except canned fruits and vegetables. But food is food."  
  
Sheamus held out a chair and Rhianna gracefully sat down, smiling shyly at him. He took a seat opposite her and their eyes met over the candle flames. Rhianna unfolded a linen napkin and placed it in her lap. "Don't worry; I'm sure it will be wonderful."  
  
"Oh, before I forget, I found something else in my exploration." He reached under the table and pulled up a bottle of dark red wine. He studied the label. "Ah, 1906. That was a good year, I think," he added sheepishly. Their fingers met as he poured the liquid into her glass. He noticed with a slight smile the goose bumps that appeared on Rhianna's bare arms.  
  
He raised his glass. "Shall we toast, Lady Cassidy?"  
  
"What shall we toast to, Mr. Brady?"  
  
He gazed deeply into her eyes. "Let's toast to…the future."  
  
Rhianna cocked an eyebrow at his toast. She clinked her glass to his. "To the future." 


	27. Chapter TwentySix

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Six  
  
"Perhaps she's just taking a break."  
  
Sean shook his head. "Elizabeth wouldn't take a break for this long – and especially not at dinnertime."  
  
Mr. Callahan nodded. That was true. "And you've checked the castle and the grounds?"  
  
"Aye," Sean sighed. "Perhaps Miss Lockeheart knows where she is."  
  
The only person they found in Miriam's room was her maid. "Excuse me, Kara, have ye seen Miss Lockeheart?" Sean asked.  
  
The girl shook her head. "I was just wondering myself where she was. I haven't seen her since late this morning."  
  
Sean frowned as he absorbed the new information. "Ye haven't by any chance seen Miss Brady since then?"  
  
"No, I haven't."  
  
"So they're both missing." He turned to Mr. Callahan. "Could they have gone somewhere?"  
  
"If so, they did it walking. All the carriages are here; all horses accounted for. And Miss Lockeheart doesn't seem the type to enjoy a walk in the rain."  
  
"So they have to be here, somewhere," Sean deduced.  
  
"Excuse me, Lord Cassidy?" Kara spoke up. "I just remembered that Miss Lockeheart said something this morning about wanting to go exploring. She especially wanted to see the tower. Perhaps she and Miss Brady went together."  
  
Sean and Mr. Callahan exchanged worried glances. Anything could have happened to the girls in that part of the castle. Sean tried to shut out the image of a bloody Elizabeth lying in a pile of rubble.  
  
"I'll go get some tools and rope," Mr. Callahan said.  
  
Sean nodded. "I'll get a couple of lamps."  
  
A few minutes later the two men stood before the entrance to the central body of the castle. This was the oldest, and most dangerous part of the castle. A quick search of the other wings had proved their deepest fears – Miriam and Elizabeth had headed this way toward the old tower.  
  
Sean tied one end of the rope around his waist and the other end went around Mr. Callahan. They didn't know what condition the floors would be in and this would at least help them if one of them fell into a hole. Mr. Callahan held his lamp high and went to open the door.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
Sean nodded, a grim determination evident on his face. {Hang on Beth, I'm coming.}  
  
Elizabeth laid her head on her knees and closed her eyes. Her head was spinning and she couldn't tell which was worse; the dizzy nausea caused by her head injury or the burning pain in her arm.  
  
She inhaled a deep, shaky breath. Darkness encroached all around her, enveloping her, suffocating her. She had lost all track of time down in the black nothingness. Minutes blurred into hours blurred into days. Had it been days? Had it been days in the hot, stuffy, dark so thick one could choke on it? Or maybe she had always been there and her other life had just been a pleasant dream.  
  
"We're going to die." A moaning voice snapped Elizabeth back into reality.  
  
"We're not going to die. Just hang on a little longer. Sean will find us."  
  
"Before or after we die of starvation?"  
  
"We are not going to die," Elizabeth bit out. "Just close your eyes and try to relax." {Yeah, right,} she thought to herself. {Like ye could relax in this situation.} She began counting in her head to keep her mind distracted. {1, 2, 3, 4…} She was somewhere in the mid 800's when she heard Miriam scramble to her feet.  
  
"I can't take it anymore – I have to get out of here!" she cried. She began feeling her way along a wall.  
  
"No! Miriam, we have to stay here!" Elizabeth stood up quickly. She closed her eyes for a second as a wave of nausea washed over her. She headed in the direction of Miriam's shuffling. She tried to keep her voice low and calming.  
  
"Remember, we talked about this. Ye can't go anywhere; it's too dangerous. I won't let ye risk getting lost, or hurt."  
  
"Who are you to give me orders? I tell you what to do, not the other way around. And I say that I am NOT going to sit around here waiting to die. Now you can stay here and wait for your precious Sean to rescue you, BETH, but I'm going to take matters into my own hands."  
  
Elizabeth wasn't sure what did it. Whether it was hearing Sean's pet name so callously flung at her from that woman's lips, or whether she was simply tired, hurting, and had had enough of Miss Miriam. In any case, Elizabeth had reached her boiling point. She was done. Done with catering to the spoiled girl's every whim. Done with putting up with the girl's cruel remarks and snotty attitude. Done with watching the man she loved court another. Done.  
  
Miriam turned to leave with a nasty, triumphant smirk on her face. She saw a dark blur of motion and then SLAP! She reached up to feel her stinging cheek.  
  
"You slapped me," she said incredulously.  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Ye were obviously suffering from a fit of hysteria. I did it to help ye," Elizabeth coolly replied. "Do ye feel better, or are ye still hysterical?"  
  
Miriam sullenly rubbed her cheek. "No, I'm good."  
  
"Good. So ye aren't going to go anywhere? You're going to stay right here with me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Great. Now let's get one more thing straight. Ye do not EVER call me Beth, okay? My name is not Lisa, or Elise, or Eliza, or anything else ye want to call me. My name is Elizabeth. Ye, however, may call me Miss Brady."  
  
The two girls warily sank back down on the stone floor. Elizabeth rubbed her throbbing temples. There was one positive thing about Miriam's annoying presence; it helped to take Elizabeth's mind off of her ever- present fear. She closed her eyes and tried to relax as the minutes ticked by.  
  
"I want my Daddy," Miriam sniffled, her earlier bravado having vanished.  
  
"And I want ye to be quiet. Obviously, we don't always get what we want."  
  
A small smile flickered across Miriam's face. "I know you probably think I'm some kind of spoiled brat…"  
  
"Whatever gave ye that idea?" Elizabeth joked.  
  
Despite herself, Miriam chuckled. "It's just, I've always gotten whatever I wanted; toys, new dresses, parties. But all I really ever wanted was for my parents to pay attention to me. Instead, Daddy's too busy with his business, and Mom's too busy being a socialite that they don't have any time for me. So instead of showering me with love and attention, they shower me with things. And I guess that's why I act the way I do."  
  
"Well, at least your parents are still alive."  
  
"Yes, and at least your parents loved you. My parents don't love me; they don't even want me around. They're just going to ship me off in marriage to the highest bidder. They don't care what I want, they don't care that I'm in love with Carlo, the stable boy. No, they're all, 'Sean has a title, and a grand castle. You'll be Lady Cassidy – won't that be nice?' and I'm all, 'No, I love Carlo' – why don't they love me?…"  
  
"I hate to interrupt your sob story, but I think I hear something," Elizabeth cut in. She strained her ears, listening for the slightest sound. Relief washed over her when she distinctly heard footsteps above her. She could see a light growing brighter and could now clearly make out the hole they had fallen through.  
  
"Elizabeth! Miriam!" a welcome voice called.  
  
"Sean! Down here!" she cried back joyfully. Tears filled her eyes when Sean's face peered over the ledge. Mr. Callahan carefully lowered Sean down the hole and minutes later; he stood beside the two girls, anxious worry reflected on his face.  
  
Miriam propelled herself into Sean's stunned arms. She blubbered loudly about her "broken" ankle and how scared she was and how he was her hero and she never gave up hope but always knew that he would find her. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. So much for Miriam's supposed change of heart. She was still the same, despite her ordeal.  
  
"Are ye okay?" Sean asked, his eyes boring anxiously into Elizabeth's eyes while Miriam continued to cling onto him. Elizabeth nodded her silent response.  
  
"No," Miriam replied. "My ankle is throbbing and I feel so faint – oh, I was so scared!" She cried loudly onto his shoulder.  
  
"It's okay, you're safe now," Sean assured her. Then came the difficult task of raising the girls out of the hole. They had to be very careful not to cause the floor to cave in further. Miriam was lifted out first, due to her "broken" ankle, and Elizabeth followed. Sean came up last, panting and exhausted.  
  
Miriam had to be carried; she simply could not walk with her "broken" ankle, so the two men carried her while Elizabeth followed, carrying the lamps and things the men had brought in. She was able to keep up pretty well at first, but as the minutes wore on the pain in her head and arm increased. Her head spun and her footsteps faltered. Soon, she was quite a distance behind the others, yet Miriam's non-stop crying and melodramatic posturing prevented Sean from noticing.  
  
Elizabeth clutched her head as her vision swam. She felt as if all of her strength was being drained from her body. Her injuries combined with the emotional trauma she suffered were now taking their toll. She reached out for Sean and then collapsed to the floor in a dead faint. 


	28. Chapter TwentySeven

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Seven  
  
"You've been holding out on me."  
  
Sheamus looked up from his plate. "What?"  
  
Rhianna pointed a finger at him. "Ye never told me ye could cook. This is delicious!"  
  
A faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "Oh, thanks. Although, Elizabeth is the real chef in the family. All I did was heat up a couple of jars of food."  
  
"Aye, well, I can't even boil water without setting the kitchen on fire."  
  
Sheamus laughed. "What are ye going to do when ye get married?" He paused as a sudden tension fell over the table. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."  
  
Rhianna forced a bright smile to her face. "No, it's okay. I've got to get used to the idea of my marriage sometime."  
  
Sheamus smiled inwardly. {Not if my plans for tonight succeed.}  
  
The meal passed with ease as they made small talk. Sheamus noticed with a smile that Rhianna kept refilling her wine glass. By the end of the meal, she was working on her fourth glass of wine. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed.  
  
"I think in a week we should place a follow up call to the customers we visited today. We could offer them a special deal to come back to us. Perhaps half off any order of…"  
  
Sheamus shushed her with a forefinger on her full lips. "No more talk of business. I want to relax and celebrate our successes."  
  
Rhianna smiled. "Okay, so what shall we talk about then?"  
  
He appeared to ponder that for a moment. His eyes glinted as they met hers. "I want to talk about…your singing."  
  
She sighed and rolled her eyes. Sheamus could almost see her back stiffen. "Wait, I'm not going to criticize ye. I just…want to learn more about ye. Have ye always been singing?"  
  
"Actually, no. Believe it or not, we weren't allowed."  
  
"Not allowed? Did it remind your father of your mother or something?"  
  
"No, even when Mum was alive, there was always music in the castle, but never singing. I never even knew what it was until I attended Mass for the first time."  
  
"How did ye get started then?"  
  
Rhianna took a sip of wine and searched her memory. "When I was eight, my da's sister came to stay with us for a while. She had never married and was a bit advanced in her years. I learned later that there was something wrong with her mind. Well, at night I would hear the most beautiful sound floating through the castle halls. It was sad and mysterious and made me feel, I don't know, funny inside. One night I followed the sound to her room and found her singing.  
  
She rambled on about the Cassidy family legacy and banshee blood. Most of it didn't make sense, but I listened to her, hoping to hear more of her singing. I remember her bony, gnarled fingers grasping my shoulders, and the wild look in her eyes as she told me, 'Don't let anyone steal your song. It's not a curse, no matter what anyone says. It's a gift!'  
  
We sang together then. It was such a wonderful experience. I'll never forget the joy I felt in creating music with my voice. I felt so alive and free. I had never felt that way before – and I haven't felt it since. But then Da caught us and he was so upset. He seemed, almost frightened. He sent me to my room and shortly after Aunt Fiona went away. He told me that I should never sing again, that it was wrong. The only exception to his rule was on Sundays in church."  
  
"Is that why the church is so important to ye?"  
  
"I guess so. It was the only time I could freely sing. Of course, I would sneak a song or two in when Da was away at work. He wasn't going to let me go to school in England, but Sean convinced him that I would catch a better husband if I were "accomplished" in something. So, that's my long, boring story."  
  
Sheamus's eyes smoldered as he gazed at her. "It's not boring to me."  
  
Rhianna's blush deepened and she looked down at her lap. She was amazed to find in him a sympathetic ear. Emboldened by his attentiveness, she turned her eyes back to him. "Do ye really think something's wrong with my singing? Am I holding back?"  
  
Sheamus nodded. "Don't get me wrong, your voice is beautiful, like nothing I've ever heard before. But when I think of music, I think of the songs Mum used to sing. Or the songs I hear the old men sing at the pub, about war, and Ireland and days gone by. Those songs make ye feel something when ye hear them. They stir something inside ye. They move ye. And I guess that's the whole reason for singing is to stir something within someone. To make them feel something. But your singing doesn't do that. It feels flat, lifeless. It's beautiful to hear, but it doesn't move people, doesn't stir them."  
  
Rhianna gazed earnestly into his eyes. "So, how do I get past that? How do I move people?"  
  
Sheamus took her hand in his. "Well, before ye can make others feel, ye have to be able to feel yourself. I think your problem comes from your father's crazy rule about singing. Ye can't really get into it if ye think you're committing a mortal sin. Well, the first thing ye have to do is forget what your father told ye. It's okay to sing. Remember what your aunt said. Look, I have no idea what was going on in your crazy family, but your father is dead. Don't let him ruin something that obviously brings ye pleasure. Don't let him steal your song," he finished with a warm smile.  
  
Rhianna nodded, mulling over his words. She remembered her experience the other night on the balcony. That night she sang had been the closest she'd ever come to truly connecting with her song. It had been wonderful, powerful and frightening. All at the same time. She had sung a song born from her deep sadness.  
  
She looked up at him shyly. "Sheamus, will ye – will ye sing for me?" Her deep green eyes were almost pleading.  
  
Sheamus was touched by her simple request and he smiled. He stood from his chair and went around the table to where she sat. He wordlessly pulled her to her feet and had her stand in front of him. He blew out the candles and took her hands in his. "I want ye to focus only on my voice and my song."  
  
Her eyes gradually adapted to the darkness and she could just see Sheamus's face bathed in moonlight. She gazed up at him in wonder.  
  
He winked at her. "Close your eyes." She did so, feeling slightly foolish. Seconds dragged by while she waited for him to start. Finally with a deep breath he began.  
  
His voice started low, then rose with a strong, swelling emotion. His rich, smooth voice rolled over her, sending tremors up her spine. There was such intense feeling in his voice as he sang of boys going off to war. Goosebumps appeared on Rhianna's arms and tears formed in her eyes. As he sang she could see his song in her mind, see him as the brave young soldier fighting for Ireland.  
  
*Where are the lads who stood with me When history was made? Oh, gra mo chree I long to see The Boys of the Old Brigade.  
  
"Oh father, why are you so sad, on this bright Easter morn? When Irishmen are proud and glad Of the land where they were born." "Oh, son, I see sad mem'ries view Of far-off distant days, When, being just a boy like you, I joined the old brigade.  
  
In hills and farms the call to arms Was heard by one and all, And from the glens came brave young men To answer Ireland's call. 'Twas long ago we faced the foe, The old brigade and me, But by my side they fought and died That Ireland might be free.  
  
And now my boy, I've told you why On Easter morn I sigh For I recall my comrades all From dark old days gone by, I think of men who fought in glens With rifles and grenade May Heaven keep the men who sleep From the ranks of the old brigade.  
  
It was many minutes after the last note faded away before Rhianna could speak. She slowly blinked open her eyes. She gazed at Sheamus in wonder. "That was…beautiful. I've never heard anything like it. So beautiful, so sad."  
  
Sheamus smiled widely down at Rhianna. "Now it's your turn."  
  
"My turn? Och, I don't even know where to begin."  
  
His thumb rubbed small circles on her cheek. "Just close your eyes and sing what you're feeling right now. Don't worry about the notes or the sounds you're making. Just concentrate on what you're feeling. Open up to your pain, anger, love, and joy. Embrace them and just…sing it."  
  
Rhianna inhaled a shaky breath. "What I'm feeling right now? Okay." She picked up her wine glass and downed the contents in one gulp. She closed her eyes and after a second, Sheamus did the same. A long silent minute passed and then slowly, softly, her notes began to fill the air.  
  
*I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls  
  
with vassals and serfs at my side,  
  
and of all who assembled within those walls  
  
that I was the hope and the pride.  
  
I had riches all too great to count  
  
and a high ancestral name.  
  
But I also dreamt which pleased me most  
  
that you loved me still the same,  
  
that you loved me  
  
you loved me still the same,  
  
that you loved me  
  
you loved me still the same.  
  
I dreamt that suitors sought my hand,  
  
that knights upon bended knee  
  
and with vows no maidens heart could withstand,  
  
they pledged their faith to me.  
  
And I dreamt that one of that noble host  
  
came forth my hand to claim.  
  
But I also dreamt which charmed me most  
  
that you loved me still the same  
  
that you loved me  
  
you loved me still the same,  
  
that you loved me  
  
you loved me still the same.  
  
As she sang she felt herself connecting to some deep, long forgotten part of herself. Just like on the balcony, she felt as if she were transforming into something new. And it frightened her. The song ended and she stood trying to process the strange new sensations. Sheamus opened his eyes, feeling chills all over his body. His eyes seemed to glow. "Rhianna, that was…amazing. Just what I've been telling ye. So, how do ye feel?" She stared up at him wide eyed. "I don't know. I'm excited, afraid. I don't know – it's a lot like how ye make me feel when you're near me," she added softly. Sheamus smiled then and there was a slightly sexy, smirky hint to it. His voice dropped to a husky whisper and he stepped even closer to her. "And how do I make ye feel?" She averted her eyes as a rosy blush appeared on her cheeks. "I don't know," she mumbled. "I can't describe it." "Is it anything like this?" He took her in his arms and lowered his lips to hers. His kiss was light and sweet at first but grew in intensity, as his awakened passion could no longer be denied. His arms tightened around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. Rhianna's stomach dropped and a soft moan of pleasure escaped her throat. She had never felt like this before. It was like, morning after a long sleep. Like raging thunderstorms and the pounding waves of the sea. She stood lost in strange emotions and then she was kissing him back. Her arms wrapped around his strong neck, pulling his head closer. Her lips parted with another moan. She didn't even react when his tongue slipped through as he deepened his kiss. It just felt so…right, so natural. Sheamus clung to Rhianna like a drowning man clutching a lifeline. For he was drowning. Drowning in emotions and sensations that were completely new to him. Despite his experience, he had never actually been in love. And so he was totally unprepared for the emotions that rocketed through him with this kiss. It wasn't supposed to be like this; it wasn't part of the plan. Rhianna's fingers clutched onto Sheamus's shirt. Maybe it was the intensity of the kiss, or too much wine, or a combination of the two, but her head began to spin. Sheamus's hungry lips dropped to the curve in her neck, sending a tremor down her spine. It was more than she could handle. Her knees buckled and she passed out in his arms.  
  
The haze in Sheamus's mind lifted and he realized that the woman he'd been so passionately kissing was now hanging limply in his arms. He checked her breathing. A wry chuckle escaped his lips as he heard a faint snoring from the obviously sleeping redhead. With a grunt he lifted her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom.  
  
"Looks like someone had a little too much wine tonight."  
  
He laid her on the bed and pulled the covers up over her. {Not exactly how I'd planned for the evening to end,} he thought as he began to undress. He knew he could never take advantage of her in this state. Which meant that he had failed. He tried not to think about what that meant as he crawled into bed. He tried to shrug off the bitter disappointment. {Nothing ye can do about it now, except hope for another chance.}  
  
He lay down on his side of the bed and glanced over at Rhianna. She was breathing heavily and her eyelids fluttered. He smiled at the dreamy expression on her face. He brushed the silky red curls off of her face and gazed at her.  
  
Right then, in that state of sleeping innocence, her beauty was almost devastating. Sheamus felt his heart twist in pain and then he knew. A light bulb of brilliant clarity suddenly flashed in his mind as his eyes were opened to a painful truth. He had done the one thing he had told himself not to do. He had fallen in love with Rhianna.  
  
Somehow in his game of winning her hand, he had lost his heart to the sleeping angel by his side. His fingers traveled over his lips that still burned with the memory of that kiss. There was no denying it now. He had felt it the moment their lips met, the moment she melted into his arms as if she belonged there. It was more than lust, more than passion, more than just trying to win a company. It was love; sweet, agonizing love.  
  
Which made that night's failure all the more bitter. He didn't know if he'd get another chance. For all he knew, he had fallen in love with someone doomed to marry another. He gazed at her face a minute more and, acting on impulse, bent his head to hers and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips.  
  
With a sigh of regret he rolled over onto his back. He closed his eyes in a futile effort to get some sleep. It wasn't long though before he heard a soft sigh beside him. He opened his eyes as Rhianna rolled into his arms, still very much asleep. She wrapped her arm around his bare waist and laid her head on his chest.  
  
He held her in his arms and a fresh determination surged through him. {I'm not going to lose ye, Rhianna. Not now that I've found ye.}  
  
Song credits: The Boys of the Old Brigade – author unknown Marble Halls – Enya, but I'm pretty sure that it's actually an old song, that she sang. 


	29. Chapter TwentyEight

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Eight  
  
"There ye go – all nice and settled in your bed. I'll call for the doctor in the morning. Until then, just stay off your feet, okay?" Sean smiled at Miriam who gazed up at him with adoring eyes.  
  
"Oh, I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't rescued me!" she cried dramatically. "You saved my life!"  
  
"Aye well, just try to be more careful from now on." Sean patted her hand and then exited the room. He looked around the hallway. "Where's Miss Brady?" he asked Mr. Callahan.  
  
"I thought she was right behind us with the tools."  
  
Sean began heading down the hallway. "Elizabeth?" he called as he quickened his pace. "Beth?"  
  
He turned onto the north passageway and his heart stopped. Elizabeth was lying on the floor having apparently fainted. He listened for a heartbeat. It was faint, but steady.  
  
"Go get the doctor!" he yelled to Mr. Callahan. He gently lifted Elizabeth's limp body up in his arms and headed back the way he came. He carried her into the first bedroom he came to, which just happened to be his own.  
  
With great care he laid her on the bed. His anxious eyes flickered over her and landed on her bandaged wrist. He took hold of her fingers and looked up at her bandaged head. He realized with a cold chill that she had been seriously hurt.  
  
He reached up and brushed the dirty hair out of her face. His fingers lingered to caress her cheek. Guilt stabbed at his heart as he remembered making Elizabeth walk with her severe injuries. (Och, she carried the tools, too.} He took hold of her unbandaged hand and squeezed it.  
  
"I'm so sorry. Please be okay." He gazed upon her pale face, still as death and tears stung his eyes. "Come back to me, Beth. I can't lose ye."  
  
He stayed by her side, waiting a tortured eternity for the doctor to arrive. Then Sean waited anxiously while the doctor examined Elizabeth.  
  
"How is she, Dr. O'Sullivan? Will she be okay?"  
  
The doctor removed his glasses and directed him with a grim stare. "Well, her arm is broken but it should heal nicely. She will need to wear a sling while it heals. What concerns me, though, is her head. I'm afraid she took a nasty blow to the side of her head. The damage to her brain could be quite severe, or nothing at all. Ye will need to keep a close eye on her. Keep her in bed for seven days. And there should be minimal movement or exertion for two weeks after that. I'll leave with ye something for the pain. Call for me when she wakes up so I can assess the damage, if any."  
  
Sean thanked the doctor and showed him to the door. He went back to her side and gazed at her. He felt like he was trapped in a dream – nothing felt real. He couldn't believe that the same lively, vibrant girl who had served him breakfast that morning was now lying almost lifelessly before him.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the doctor's echoing words. He just couldn't deal with the possibility of brain damage. What if she never woke up? Or was only a shadow of her former self? What if Sean looked into those amazing crystal blue eyes of hers and found no hint of recognition, no sign that she knew who he was?  
  
{Stop it!} his mind screamed. He took a deep breath. His anxious worrying wasn't going to help Elizabeth. He pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He took her hand and just held it.  
  
"How long has it been, Beth?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light and conversational. "Two, three months? I can't believe it's been three months since we first met and yet, it feels like so much longer.  
  
"I still remember the dress ye wore that day. It was just a simple, blue cotton dress and yet it remains my favorite. I remember your curls, golden in the bright afternoon sun, were tied back with a blue ribbon and as blue as the ribbon was, it couldn't compare to the sea of blue that were your eyes. I remember they sparkled with such radiant life. I felt as if I had always been dead, never truly alive.  
  
"That's what these last three months have been like, Beth. They have been both the best and the worst moments of my life. They are the best because you've been in my life, but the worst because I couldn't completely let ye in my life.  
  
"I've tried to fight it for so long. I thought I could control my heart – that I could just…not love ye and love someone else instead. But I can't and I'm sorry that it took your injury for me to see it."  
  
His brown eyes shone with moisture as he gently kissed her fingers. His voice was gravelly when he spoke. "I'm so sorry for the pain and heartache I've caused ye. Come back to me, Beth, and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to ye. Come back to me – I, I can't live without ye. I love ye, Beth." He gazed at her a minute more and then kissed her forehead. He then sank down into a plush chair in the corner of the room and settled in for a long night.  
  
Birds were beginning their morning songs and a pale light was fluttering in through the windows when Sheamus opened his eyes. He yawned and looked around him in momentary confusion before remembering the events of the previous night. His eyes fell on Rhianna who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms.  
  
He stretched as much as he could without disturbing his sleeping angel. He could tell from the stiffness in his limbs that he'd stayed in the same position all night. But as Rhianna moaned softly and cuddled closer to him, he knew that it had been worth it.  
  
He gazed at her in wonder. Her long hair spilled across her bare shoulders, across their pillow and a few ringlets even found their way onto Sheamus's bare chest. He picked up one of the locks and marveled at the perfect spiral of glossy red-gold hair. {Like spun copper,} he mused.  
  
He glanced back over at Rhianna. Her lashes fluttered against her milk white cheeks. Her full red lips were parted just slightly and soft breathing could be heard from the sleeping girl.  
  
{Remember this moment,} he told himself. {Remember how it feels to hold her in your arms, to wake up beside her, to watch her sleep. Remember this moment. Ye might not get another one.}  
  
As he watched, Rhianna fluttered open her eyes. She stretched sleepily, nearly smacking him in the face with her arm. She looked around her and Sheamus smiled to see the rising confusion in her green eyes. She finally took notice of him and her eyes grew wide as saucers.  
  
"AAAAAH!" she screamed as she jumped out of his arms. "What are ye doing here?" she demanded. She took another look around her. "And where is here?"  
  
Sheamus looked at her incredulously. "Ye don't remember? Wow, ye DID have a lot to drink last night. Remember, Rhianna? We're at the cabin. We had to stay the night because we missed the ferry."  
  
Understanding dawned in her eyes. "That's right. Ye fixed us dinner," she remembered with a smile, "and we sang to each other."  
  
Sheamus sat up causing the sheets to fall off his bare chest. Rhianna was suddenly very aware of their near naked states.  
  
"And what else do ye remember?" Sheamus whispered.  
  
"I remember…" she trailed off as her cheeks blushed with memory. Her fingers touched her lips remembering the powerful kiss from the previous night. "Did it really happen?" she asked. Part of her hoped that their passionate encounter had only been a dream.  
  
"Ye mean the kiss?" he asked with a hint of a smirk on his face. "Aye, it happened. And it was…incredible."  
  
"Did…anything else happen?" she asked softly.  
  
Sheamus paused. He had considered lying to her, telling her that they had made love. It was a good plan; he was the only one who knew the truth and Rhianna's betrothal to Dimera would be annulled. But when he saw the fear and shame that shone in her watery eyes, he knew that he couldn't do that to her.  
  
"No," he replied with a heavy sigh. "Nothing happened. Ye had a bit too much to drink and passed out in my arms. I put ye to bed and that's it."  
  
Rhianna let out a relieved breath and sat down on the bed. "I guess ye really are a gentleman. Thank ye."  
  
"Aye well, next time lay off the wine."  
  
Rhianna rubbed her throbbing temple. "No worries about that. Oh, how do people endure this? I feel like my head's going to explode."  
  
"Aye, I know the feeling all too well. Come on." He stood up from the bed and Rhianna got a good look at his body clad only in thin cotton boxers. "I'll make ye my special morning after remedy."  
  
Sheamus rummaged through the kitchen and gathered the ingredients. A few minutes later, he handed her a cup filled with the most ghastly smelling liquid. Rhianna wrinkled her nose.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"Trust me, ye do NOT want to know. Just drink it. You'll feel better."  
  
Rhianna stared questioningly at the burbling dark liquid. She took a deep breath and pinching her nostrils tightly closed, gulped the drink down.  
  
"Bleccch! I think I prefer the sharp stabbing pain in my head to drinking that."  
  
"Well, you'll thank me when your headache goes away."  
  
"Speaking of away – we should probably be getting on our way. Sean must be worried sick about me."  
  
They got dressed and were soon on their way. They stood on the porch and Sheamus closed the door securely. He looked over the old cabin appreciatively.  
  
"Ye know, this is a nice little cabin. Not a bad place to spend the night."  
  
Rhianna smiled fondly. "No, it wasn't."  
  
They turned to leave when suddenly Rhianna stopped short. There, not fifty feet away from them, was an elderly woman walking by. Rhianna recognized her as a prominent member of her church – and also the biggest gossip in town. Rhianna waited stone still until the woman walked out of sight. She whirled around to Sheamus, her face white.  
  
"Ol' Widow Clayton!" she hissed. "What is she doing out here? Do ye think she saw us? Oh, Sheamus, what if she saw us leaving the cabin? What if she heard us? It will be all over Dublin by mid-morning."  
  
Sheamus frowned in confusion. "What will be all over Dublin?"  
  
"The fact that we spent the night here! Sheamus, the only thing that woman loves more than sticking her nose into other people's business, is gossiping about other people's business."  
  
Sheamus lay a calming hand on her tense shoulder. "Rhianna, relax. I don't think she saw us – she just walked by like she didn't even notice us. Ye have nothing to worry about."  
  
Rhianna nodded and inhaled a deep breath. "You're right. Let's go, before anyone else sees us."  
  
They made it back to the ferry without further incident. As the boat carried them across the river, Rhianna kept looking around her. She had a strange feeling that the other passengers on the boat were talking about her. She could sense their stares and whispers seemed to float in the wind.  
  
"Is it just me, or is everyone talking about us?" she questioned softly through her teeth.  
  
Sheamus frowned. The other passengers did seem to be acting strangely. "I'm sure it's just nothing. Ignore them."  
  
Rhianna put the others out of her mind and soon they were on land, making the rest of the journey home. They reached the estate and she turned to Sheamus. "I'm giving us the day off today. Why don't ye go get some rest?"  
  
Sheamus yawned. "Oh, I will. I just want to let Elizabeth know I'm here. I hope she hasn't been worried about me."  
  
They went inside and shortly bumped into Mr. Callahan. He looked at them in surprise. "Rhianna, are ye just now getting in? Oh, never mind that now. Mr. Brady, I'm glad you're here – we've been trying to find ye. There's been an accident – I'm afraid your sister's been hurt." 


	30. Chapter TwentyNine

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Twenty-Nine  
  
"I am so glad this day is over with." Elizabeth rolled her tight, knotted shoulders. She bent her neck to the side and her joints creaked and popped. "Didn't think it would ever end," she continued to herself as she walked home. "Miss Lockeheart seemed to take great delight in keeping me hopping. 'Be a dear and bring me my shawl,' 'This soup is too salty; bring me something else.' Blah, blah, blah. And this woman's going to be Sean's wife?! Well, at least this day can't get any worse."  
  
A loud crack of thunder interrupted her thoughts. Big fat raindrops began pelting her head and shoulders. Elizabeth looked up at the dark sky. "And I spoke too soon."  
  
She ran to a nearby oak tree to escape the sudden downpour. She leaned her back against the large trunk and wrapped her arms around her shivering, rain soaked body. She brushed the wet hair out of her face.  
  
"I guess I'm stuck here until it lets up." She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "A perfect ending to a perfect day."  
  
"I don't know," a male voice spoke up from the other side of the tree. Elizabeth turned to see Sean coming around the tree toward her. "I can think of worse places to be stuck in, worse people to be stuck with."  
  
Elizabeth stared at Sean. His eyes seemed strangely smoky and the moist air surrounding them seemed to have jumped up twenty degrees. She pulled at the collar of her dress.  
  
"Sean, what are ye doing here?"  
  
He took another step toward her. He wore a strangely serious expression on his face. Elizabeth felt warm inside and her blood began to race.  
  
"I was looking for ye, of course," he replied softly.  
  
Elizabeth licked her dry, parched lips. "Why?"  
  
He continued his slow advance. "I think ye know the answer to that."  
  
Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. "I don't know…"  
  
He caught her suddenly in his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Shhh," he interrupted as his lips descended upon hers. "No more words."  
  
Elizabeth melted against him as her insides turned to jelly. Her knees shook, her body trembled, yet she did not pull away. Instead, she arched her back, thrusting her mouth forward, demanding more of his kiss. Her arms snaked around him and her fingers went wild in his hair.  
  
They broke for air and stood panting as Sean hugged her tightly to him. "I love ye, Sean," Elizabeth whispered.  
  
"I lo…"  
  
But before Sean could finish his words, Miriam appeared suddenly and pulled him away, her cackling laughter echoing loudly in Elizabeth's head.  
  
"Sean, don't go. Don't leave me," Elizabeth moaned. She tossed her head fitfully on the soft pillow.  
  
Sean took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm right here, Beth."  
  
Sheamus narrowed his eyes at Sean from his position on the other side of the bed. He glanced back at his sister. "How the hell did this happen?" he bit out.  
  
In a soft, choked voice Sean relayed what had happened. As he did so, his eyes remained glued to Elizabeth. Rhianna was saddened by the sad guilt that weighed on her brother's shoulders.  
  
"So in other words, it's your fault," Sheamus said coldly.  
  
"Wait," Rhianna soothed, "how is this Sean's fault?"  
  
"I don't know!" he replied hotly. "Except it always seems to come back to ye Cassidys. Da, Mum, now Elizabeth. Why don't ye just drive a knife through my heart!" he yelled, wild with grief and worry.  
  
Sean stared at Sheamus incredulously. "What are ye talking about? I love Elizabeth, I would never do anything to hurt her."  
  
"You've already hurt her! Ye led her on, made her believe ye cared for her – and all the while you're planning to marry someone else. Why do ye think she moved in with me? She was tired of watching the man she loved fawn over someone else."  
  
Sean closed his eyes as his heart twisted with guilt. Rhianna stepped in and placed a calming hand on Sheamus's tense shoulder.  
  
"Let's put aside this other matter for now, okay? The important thing is that Elizabeth is not going to die like your parents. The doctor said so himself."  
  
"Aye, but he also said she might not be herself. What if something's wrong with her?" he asked, his voice like a scared child's.  
  
Rhianna squeezed his shoulder, wanting to comfort him. "She's going to be okay, Sheamus. She has a hard head, like her brother. She's going to wake up and be her old self again. Ye have to believe that."  
  
Sheamus nodded. He swallowed the thick lump in his throat. He turned back to his sister and took her hand. "If ye don't mind, I'd like to be alone with her."  
  
Rhianna found her brother on the balcony, staring out over the sunlit rolling green hills of the estate. She took a place beside him and gazed at the scenery. They stood like that for a few minutes, each seeking to calm their frazzled nerves.  
  
"So, ye love her," Rhianna stated with a small smile.  
  
Sean sighed. "Aye, I do. I always have."  
  
"So why are ye marrying Miss Lockeheart?"  
  
Sean remained silent.  
  
"It's because of me, isn't it? Ye think that if ye marry into money, then I won't have to marry Mr. Dimera."  
  
Sean nodded. Rhianna shook her head. A low chuckle escaped her throat. "Funny story about that. I talked with Father Thomas. There's no way to annul the betrothal. I have to marry Dimera."  
  
Sean's heart dropped. "What? Rhianna, no. There has to be a way out of this."  
  
"There isn't. Not if I want to stay in the church. And don't even think about it. My beliefs are too important to me."  
  
"I know they are," Sean sighed. "I just can't believe that that's it. That months from now ye will be married to him."  
  
Rhianna gazed up at the clear blue sky. "I know. I'm beginning to accept it, though. I mean, it's going to happen whether I accept it or not. So, there's no point in both of us being miserable. Ye might as well be happy."  
  
Sean stared into his sister's eyes and caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry."  
  
Rhianna gave him a small, brave smile. "Don't be. I'll be okay. It will be enough just knowing you're happy."  
  
Sean wrapped his arms around his twin and held her close. They stayed like that for a few minutes, taking comfort in each other's arms. Sean finally broke away and there was a relieved smile on his face.  
  
"So, I guess I better go break it off with Miss Lockeheart."  
  
Rhianna grinned evilly. "Oooh, can I watch?"  
  
Rhianna smiled, lost in thought as she made her way through the castle halls. {I'm glad Sean wasn't in love with Miriam after all. I was beginning to doubt his judgment.} She thought of her brother and Elizabeth and her heart swelled. She was so happy for him; it was obvious they both were in love.  
  
{At least one of us will get to experience love,} she mused. Her cheeks warmed as she remembered the soul-shaking kiss she'd shared with Sheamus the night before. She still tingled with the aftereffect of the kiss – like all her nerves were on fire. She had never felt like that before. Since that night she had been aware of a deep, burning, aching need in the core of her being. Every single inch of her body seemed to be alive, her senses were heightened. She didn't really know how to describe the new feelings and sensations, only that they were like her dreams of late.  
  
Rhianna was so lost in her thoughts that her eyes were focused inward. So it was that she rounded a corner and collided into Sheamus. She found herself pressed against his hard chest. His arms automatically went around her, as if to steady her. She closed her eyes, enjoying for a brief second the feel of being in his arms – how natural it felt to be so close to him, to be able to feel his heart beating. But the moment had to end and with a reluctant, inaudible sigh, she pulled out of his arms.  
  
"Sorry about that," he apologized.  
  
"It's okay. How is she?" Rhianna asked, her voice reflecting her concern for her friend. She noticed the worried pain that flashed in his blue eyes.  
  
"The same," he sighed. "I know that she's going to be okay. I'm just afraid…" he trailed off, lost in worry.  
  
"Afraid of what?"  
  
Sheamus paused before answering, unable to even voice his secret fears. "Of how this may have affected her. Ever since she was little, she's been deathly afraid of small, enclosed spaces. For her to have been trapped down there, in the dark no less, well, I'm afraid she might have been traumatized by it. She was down there for so long. It's my fault – I, I should have been here instead of…"  
  
Rhianna smiled. "Okay, now you're blaming yourself and it's ridiculous. How were ye to know this was going to happen? What, are ye going to stay with her every waking moment, just to be sure that nothing happens to her?"  
  
Sheamus's shoulders slumped and Rhianna could see the guilt that racked his body. "It's just… I promised Mum I would always take care of her, and the one time she needed me I wasn't here."  
  
"No, but Sean was. He got her out and then he got her help – and he has stayed by her side every second since then. Ye can't be her protector forever. One day you're going to have to turn that job over to someone else – someone who loves her. Like Sean."  
  
Sheamus grumbled with dislike. He wasn't yet ready to forgive Sean for toying with Elizabeth's emotions. "What about Miss Lockeheart?" he asked pointedly.  
  
A shrill feminine voice rent the air around them. "YE BASTARD!" A loud WHAP followed.  
  
Rhianna smiled. "I'd say he's taking care of that right now."  
  
Sheamus chuckled and Rhianna was pleased that he seemed to be softening. "So, does that mean he has your blessing?" she asked with a wide smile.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Rhianna was still laughing at the expression on his face when she heard the bell for the front door ring. She went to answer the door, with Sheamus following. The heavy oak door swung open and Rhianna was surprised to see the man standing there.  
  
"Father Thomas!" she exclaimed. The elderly priest wore a sober expression on his face. He greeted them both gravely.  
  
"Lady Cassidy, Mr. Brady. We need to talk." 


	31. Chapter Thirty

Banshee Song  
Book Two  
  
Chapter Thirty  
  
"Lady Cassidy, Mr. Brady. We need to talk."  
  
Rhianna stood, puzzled. What did the priest need to talk with them about, and why did she suddenly feel a sense of dread? "Aye, Father. Please come in." She led them into a small drawing room. Father Thomas chose a simple chair opposite Rhianna and Sheamus.  
  
He wore a grave expression and many silent seconds passed while he put his thoughts in order. He leaned forward and stared at the two young people with hard, serious eyes. Finally, when Rhianna didn't think she could take the silence any longer, he cleared his throat and began.  
  
"I have just received some very disturbing news. I don't know how to begin so I will just say it. Where were the two of ye last night?"  
  
The question caught them by surprise and Rhianna and Sheamus floundered for an answer. "Um, well, me? Um, I was…" they stammered.  
  
Father Thomas gazed upon the flustered pair and his sharp eyes took in Rhianna's blushing cheeks. "It is as I thought then." He sighed. "This morning, the two of ye were seen by one of my parishioners leaving a small cabin in the Braddock woods across the river – having apparently spent the night." He finished slowly, putting emphasis on each word. Spent. The. Night. He paused for a moment and the air was heavy with those three ominous words.  
  
His dark brown eyes bore into the two before him. "Ye don't deny this?"  
  
Rhianna sighed. "Aye, Father, it is as ye said. Sheamus and I were out yesterday meeting with prospective clients when we got lost and missed the last ferry back. We found the cabin and decided to stay the night."  
  
The priest closed his eyes and shook his head. He seemed very sad then and Rhianna thought he looked a bit paler, as if the blood had drained from his face.  
  
His eyes opened and stared at the innocent girl. "Rhianna, do ye realize the seriousness of the situation you're in? Ye spent the night, alone, with a young man. Do ye understand what this means?"  
  
Rhianna paled and a thick lump formed in her throat. "But Father, nothing happened. It was perfectly innocent," she exclaimed, her large green eyes pleading for his understanding.  
  
Father Thomas softened then and laid his hand on her knee. "I believe ye, Child. And if I were the only one who knew of this unfortunate incident, then I would be willing to simply let it go. Unfortunately, that is not the case."  
  
He smiled wryly and shook his head. "Mrs. Clayton is a good woman, make no mistake, but she is what the good book calls a 'gossipmonger.' I'm afraid that many people had heard the news by the time it reached my ears. These other people won't be as understanding as I am; they're going to believe the worst."  
  
Rhianna stood to her feet and covered her face with her hands. "Oh no," she moaned. "I can't believe this! What must everyone be saying?" Her cheeks blazed; she had never felt so mortified.  
  
Sheamus turned to the priest. He was still trying to make sense of what he had been saying. "So what's the problem?"  
  
"The problem is that Rhianna spent the night with a man that she isn't married to. It doesn't matter what did or didn't happen. Just the appearance of impropriety is enough to ruin her good name."  
  
"What can I do, Father?" Rhianna asked.  
  
"There's only one thing ye can do, if ye want to remain in the church. Ye must marry Mr. Brady."  
  
Sean rubbed his still stinging cheek as he walked through the hall. The sting was due to a slap courtesy of one Miss Miriam Lockeheart. {She took that better than I thought she would,} Sean thought. He had just broken the courtship with Miriam, telling her that he had realized that he couldn't marry her; he was in love with another. She had been calm at first, understanding. But it all melted away and a second later she was attacking him with a fury to rival the Furies. Finally though, she calmed and declared with a haughty toss of her hair,  
  
"Your loss," and went to her room to pack her things. She and her handmaiden were already away in a carriage by the time Sean was walking the halls.  
  
" 'Tis a relief to have that over with," he declared as an invisible boulder fell off his shoulders. He straightened up with the sudden heady realization that he was free – free of Miriam and her mindless chatter, free of having to play the besotted suitor, free to love the girl he loved.  
  
He stopped. Elizabeth. She was still lying in his bed, still suffering from severe injuries. He closed his eyes as another wave of guilt slammed into him. Anger and sadness and pain and remorse battled within him and he shook from the violence of his emotions.  
  
"Sheamus is right," he uttered, his voice cracking with pain. "It's all my fault. I should have fixed that floor ages ago. I should have found ye sooner, I should have carried ye back instead of making ye walk. I should have…I should have told ye I loved ye when I had the chance." His heart froze as a new thought struck him. What if he never got the chance? What if Elizabeth never woke up?  
  
"Don't think like that," he told himself firmly. "She's going to be fine. You're going to tell her ye love her and ye will be together."  
  
He inhaled deeply, willing his chaotic thoughts and emotions to stop. He closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, begging for Elizabeth to be okay.  
  
He lifted his head suddenly. He thought he heard something down the hall, like raised voices. It sounded like Rhianna, and she seemed upset. He focused on her and as their special "twinsense" kicked in, he knew she was upset. He decided he might as well find out what was wrong and headed in her direction.  
  
Sheamus tried to keep the pleasure he felt from his face. Father Thomas's words echoed in his head and he smiled internally. The plan had still worked, due to a simple stroke of luck. They would have to marry after all, and Rhianna would be free from Dimera's clutches.  
  
"What?" Rhianna breathed incredulously. "Marry Sheamus? But we didn't do anything!"  
  
"I know that, my child. But everyone else doesn't. Look Rhianna, ye are very much loved by the town. If ye do the right thing and marry Sheamus, then the matter will surely be forgotten. They will simply smile and say, 'Ah, young love.'"  
  
"But what about my betrothal?"  
  
"It will be broken."  
  
Rhianna struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events. Her deepest wish had been fulfilled. She had been set free from her engagement to Dimera. But it had come with a catch. She turned to Sheamus, her eyes studying him to see what he made of it. But his eyes were on Father Thomas.  
  
"Marriage? This is certainly sudden. But I guess we have to do what's right, don't we?" Sheamus asked, unable to mask the eagerness in his voice. Rhianna narrowed her eyes as she watched the two men. They both seemed a little too happy and there seemed to be this strange…conspiratorial vibe emanating from them.  
  
"That's right," the priest replied, with a slight wink that did not go unnoticed by Rhianna.  
  
"There's one thing that puzzles me though," Rhianna spoke up. "What was Widow Clayton doing on that side of the river, in those woods, at that time of the morning? She lives miles away from where she saw us."  
  
Father Thomas paused. "Oh, I uh, asked her to check on a sick parishioner for me."  
  
"Mmmhmm." Her tone implied that she wasn't buying his answer. "And this 'parishioner' wouldn't happen to live in a cabin, would he? Perhaps the same cabin we stayed in?"  
  
"Wh-what? What are ye talking about?"  
  
Rhianna turned to Sheamus. "Ye knew where we were going all along. 'Took a wrong turn' my foot! Ye set this up! Both of ye!"  
  
Sheamus was about to protest his innocence when Father Thomas held up his hand. "No, she deserves to know the truth. Aye, Rhianna, we did set this up. We only thought to save ye from marrying Mr. Dimera, and this was the only way."  
  
"Great. Ye saved me from marrying a man I don't love, by making me marry a man I can't stand! Father Thomas, I can't believe ye were involved in this…seduction!"  
  
"What's going on in here?" Sean spoke up as he entered the room. Rhianna was too angry to speak, so Father Thomas filled him in. Sean turned to his sister.  
  
"So let me get this straight. Ye don't have to marry Dimera? And this is a bad thing? Rhianna, it's the answer we've been looking for."  
  
Rhianna softened as her anger gave way to hurt betrayal. All others in the room were forgotten as she set her eyes on Sheamus. "I don't know why I'm surprised that once again you've played games with me. You're always planning, always plotting, always manipulating me to get what ye want. And ye want what you've always wanted: the factory.  
  
"So last night when ye fixed me dinner, when ye sang to me, when ye kissed me – was that all just part of your plan? Was I to fall madly in love with ye and we would then…" she broke off, unable to complete her thought.  
  
"It wasn't like that," Sheamus protested earnestly. "All those things, the singing, the kiss, they were real and I promise ye, Rhianna, I've never felt anything like what I felt last night. It was real." His blue eyes pleaded for her to understand.  
  
She stared at him sadly. "Ye know how important trust is to me. After everything you've done, how can I trust anything ye say or do? How do I know that everything that comes out of your mouth isn't a lie? I'm tired of playing the fool."  
  
She sighed and calmed, all emotion leaving her spirit. "Well, I guess I don't have a choice, do I? Don't worry, Father. I'll marry Sheamus at the appointed time." Her eyes grew to a bitter cold and she stared at Sheamus. "But know this, it will be a marriage in name only, for I will never love ye."  
  
She turned to leave the room and then stopped and spun back around. "Congratulations, Mr. Brady. Ye finally got what ye wanted." She walked out of the room.  
  
{Not everything,} Sheamus thought sadly. 


End file.
